What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).

Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).

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	Stowe	Barre
People
Population	5,285Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT	42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average
	Stowe and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9%	13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4%	19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Stowe and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.7%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7%
	Barre and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT
	Stowe and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT	$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT	$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,161Highest 42% above VT	$5,192Lowest 3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4%	34.4%±10.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	Barre and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.3%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	78.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT	1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 18% below VT	19 minLowest 21% below VT
Work from home	24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%	10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Stowe Town School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Stowe High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

VT 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.