Compare towns
Windham vs Worcester vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Worcester | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
831 |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
| Barre and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham 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 Central Unified Union School District #92 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| 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.