Compare towns
Windham vs Barre vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Windham | Barre | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
8,412Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #13 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Spaulding Union High School | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.7 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.