Compare towns
Wilder vs Barre vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Wilder | Barre | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
8,412Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
| Wilder and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505 9% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterbury and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 29% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.