Compare towns
Windsor vs Barre vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Windsor | Barre | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,554Lowest |
8,412 |
10,736Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Windsor and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209 3% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 3% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Hartford and Barre 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.