City profile · Vermont · Census ACS 2023

Barre, VT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Barre - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

8,461
Residents
$53,288
Median income
$200,100
Median home
$1,482
Median rent (state)

Barre - the verdict

Nationally, Barre sits in the 25th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
59th
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Barre, VT

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 8,461 residents in Barre, a small town within Vermont. Barre households earn a median of $53,288 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.4%. Typical homes in Barre are valued around $200,100, and the median resident age is 40.9 years. 32.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier. Barre's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3577.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Vermont tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Vermont at 98.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,482 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $251 across Vermont, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Barre workers runs 18.0 minutes, with 71.7% driving alone and 12.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 52.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

8,461 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Vermont

Median Household Income

$53,288 /yr

Poverty 14.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Vermont average

How does Barre compare to other US cities?

Here's how Barre stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 59% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Vermont, Barre ranks #24 of 30 Vermont cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Barre's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Vermont, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

25thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Barre's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Barre's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Barre's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Barre's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$200,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Barre $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Barre, VT Barre, VT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Barre, VT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Barre, VT median $53,288/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Barre, VT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Barre, VT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
8,461
Median Income
$53,288
Median Home Value
$200,100
Median Age
40.9
Poverty Rate
14.4%
Labor force participation
55.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3577.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
646.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2931.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,100 residents8,200 residents8,300 residents8,400 residents8,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,469 residents 8,214 residents ▼ -3.0%
Barre's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 6
2020 1
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.0 minutes
Drive Alone
71.7%
Carpool
8.3%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
6.1%
Work from Home
12.0%

Based on 3,998 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Vermont - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$98
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$251
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Vermont state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Vermont state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Barre sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,482/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
52.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Vermont

Winooski
8,198 people
Montpelier
8,038 people
Bennington
8,888 people
Brattleboro
7,793 people
Middlebury
7,145 people
St. Albans
6,910 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Barre's 8,461 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Clinton, OK
8,461 people
Black Mountain, NC
8,462 people
River Road, OR
8,462 people
Bemiss, GA
8,464 people
Collinsville, OK
8,468 people
Farmington, AR
8,469 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Barre's $53,288 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Camden, SC
$53,289 median income
Granger, WA
$53,287 median income
Oswego, NY
$53,286 median income
Owensboro, KY
$53,295 median income
Gouldtown, NJ
$53,281 median income
Redbird Smith, OK
$53,295 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Barre, VT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Barre, VT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5% White 93.4% Black or African American 0.3% Asian 0.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 3.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Barre compares to nearby Vermont cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Barre (this city) 8,461 $53,288
Winooski 8,198 $77,020
Montpelier 8,038 $79,175
Bennington 8,888 $53,839
Census ACS 5-year FIPS VT FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Barre, VT?

What is the population of Barre, VT? +

Barre, VT counts 8,461 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Barre, VT? +

In Barre, the typical household earns $53,288 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Barre? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Barre; the closest available measure is the Vermont state average, a cost of living index of 98.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Vermont vary by metro area.

Is Barre, VT safe? +

Barre has a total crime rate of 3577.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Barre, VT? +

Barre's median home value sits at $200,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.