What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stratton has the most expensive homes ($400k median).

Barton has the most people working from home (13.4%).

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	Stratton	Barton
People
Population	532Lowest	2,815Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+2.2% VT: +2.8%
Median age	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT	44.9±6.5Highest 4% above VT
Kids under 18	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%	20.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Stratton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	23.5%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	32.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%	2.9%±1.5Highest VT: 7%
	Barton and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT	$66,250±$16kLowest 18% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT	$201,200±$28kLowest 36% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average	$793±$70Lowest 36% below VT
	Stratton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,750Highest 6% below VT	$3,355Lowest 33% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	39.6%±12.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Barton and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%	10.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	73.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT	1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 39% above VT	35 minHighest 50% above VT
Work from home	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.4%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#38 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District · Lake Region Union High School District #24
High school in town	—	Lake Region Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.