Compare towns
Sutton vs Barre vs Burke vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Burke has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Sheffield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3%).
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 | Sutton | Barre | Burke | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790 |
8,412Highest |
1,317 |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7Highest 8% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
41.1±4.8Lowest 5% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
| Sutton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Burke and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Burke and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.3 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$87,143±$17kHighest 7% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Burke and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$340,600±$18kHighest 8% above VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$938±$191Lowest 24% below VT |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
| Barre and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 21% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$5,177 about the VT average |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Burke and Sutton 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.