Compare towns
Standish vs Barre vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Hampden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).
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.
| Measure | Standish | Barre | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
8,412 |
7,896Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
41±2.9 5% above U.S. |
| Barre and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Hampden 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%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% |
5.3%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$111,959±$13kHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Hampden and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18kHighest about the U.S. average |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$301,300±$38k 9% below U.S. |
| Standish and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Hampden and Barre 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. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampden and Standish 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 | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Spaulding Union High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
10.7Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.