Compare towns
Windsor vs Castleton vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
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 | Windsor | Castleton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,554Lowest |
4,453 |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Windsor and Barre 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71kHighest 29% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 3% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and Windsor 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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 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.