Compare towns
Wells vs Barre vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Washington has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Wells | Barre | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,148 |
8,412Highest |
1,056Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±5.2 18% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.9±5.1Highest 23% above VT |
| Washington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Washington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,417±$11kHighest 7% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$66,103±$8k 19% below VT |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $243,000±$42kHighest 23% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$217,700±$37k 31% below VT |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$996±$285Lowest 19% below VT |
| Wells and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,485 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.5%±63.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 48 minHighest 102% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Washington and Wells 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 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 |
| 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 |
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.