Compare towns
Washington vs Barre vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Washington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
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 | Washington | Barre | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
8,412Highest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55±4.7Highest 41% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Washington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Washington and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Washington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,453±$12k 11% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,600±$32k 8% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$160 22% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,321Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±88.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barre and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury and Washington 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 | Washington School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.