What stands out worked out from the figures below

White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).

Barnet has the most people working from home (55%).

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	White River Junction	Barnet
People
Population	3,364Highest	61Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.8% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT	62.2±45.8Highest 44% above VT
	Barnet and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9%	31.1%±29.6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Barnet and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	36.1%±44.4Highest VT: 21.4%
	Barnet and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%	59.5%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.2%±1.1Highest VT: 7%	0%±23.2Lowest VT: 7%
	White River Junction and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT	$57,917±$16kLowest 29% below VT
	White River Junction and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT	$204,200±$38kLowest 36% below VT
	White River Junction and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,222±$216 about the VT average	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,651Highest 12% above VT	$2,950Lowest 41% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	47.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	100%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	15 min 35% below VT	—
Work from home	15.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	55%±29Highest VT: 16.9%
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.