What stands out worked out from the figures below

Standish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Standish	Barre
People
Population	10,662Highest	8,412Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S.
	Barre and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Standish and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Barre and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,593±$15kHighest 30% above U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$336,000±$18kHighest about the U.S. average	$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S.	$1,093±$58Highest 23% below U.S.
	Barre and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S.	$5,192Highest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Standish and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest same as U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	19 minLowest 30% below U.S.
Work from home	13.6%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Standish and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#18 of 133 in ME	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 06/MSAD 06	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Bonny Eagle High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.