Compare towns
Worcester vs Barre vs Putney vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Worcester | Barre | Putney | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
8,412Highest |
2,622 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.2±7.4 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 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest 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+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% 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 | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.