What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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	Sutton	Barre
People
Population	2,239Lowest	8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S.	42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S.
	Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.	$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S.	$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S.	$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S.
	Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.	$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Barre and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than 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	14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sutton 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	—	#19 of 70 in VT
School district	Kearsarge Regional School District	Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town	Kearsarge Regional High School	Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.