Median Income
$53,798
household / year
Median Home Value
$185,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$955
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Barre, VT a Good Place to Live?

Barre is a small town of 8,488 in Vermont, with a median household income of $53,798 and a 7.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Barre stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Barre is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Barre city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 95.7

Barre's overall cost of living index is 95.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Barre costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Barre, VT National Avg
Median Home Value $185,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $955 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 46.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $53,798 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Barre's violent crime rate is 646.1 per 100,000 residents — 70% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
646.1 /100k
Property Crime
2931.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Barre is served primarily by Barre Unified Union School District #97. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Barre, VT National Avg
School District Barre Unified Union School District #97 —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 89.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Barre sees average highs of 25.8°F in January and 77.6°F in July, with 38.7 inches of annual precipitation and 75.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricBarre, VT
Average High — January25.8°F
Average High — July77.6°F
Annual Precipitation38.7"
Annual Snowfall75.8"

Demographics

MetricBarre, VTNational Avg
Population8,488—
Median Age40.338.9
Unemployment Rate7.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time20.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)93.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.4%18.9%
Asian0.9%6.3%
Under 1820.5%22.2%
65 and over14.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Barre, VT 3 mi Websterville, VT 3 mi Graniteville, VT 4 mi East Barre, VT 5 mi East Montpelier, VT 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Barre

Barre, VT is covered by 1 ZIP code:

05641

Barre vs Other Cities

Barre, VT vs South Barre, VT Barre, VT vs Websterville, VT Barre, VT vs Graniteville, VT Barre, VT vs East Barre, VT Barre, VT vs East Montpelier, VT

Frequently Asked Questions

Barre's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Barre roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $185,100 and median rent is $955/month.
Barre's violent crime rate is 646.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2931.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Barre are operated by Barre Unified Union School District #97. The district has 2 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1. 29.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Barre, VT has a population of 8,488, a median household income of $53,798, and an unemployment rate of 7.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Barre averages 25.8°F in January and 77.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.7 inches with about 75.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Barre, VT is covered by 1 ZIP code: 05641.
The population of Barre, Vermont is 8,488 with a median age of 40.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Barre: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $185,100, median household income $53,798, crime index 158 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Barre side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.