Compare towns
Worcester vs Dover vs Barnet
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 highest household income ($74k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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 | Dover | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
1,466 |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±5.3 11% above VT |
| Dover and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Barnet 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kHighest 9% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$67,386±$15k 17% below VT |
| Worcester and Barnet 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 |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$247,900±$24kLowest 22% below VT |
| Dover and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Highest 17% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$974±$72 21% below VT |
| Worcester and Barnet 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 |
$4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Dover 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.