South Barre vs Wells River
South Barre, Vermont versus Wells River, Vermont: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
South Barre edges out Wells River on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | South Barre | Wells River |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $75k | $37k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $50k |
| Home Value | $231k | $155k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $746 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $549 | $83 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.93% | 2.31% |
| Income Tax | 8.60% | 8.60% |
| Sales Tax | 6.36% | 6.36% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.64% | 20.48% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 17°F | 17°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.7 in | 38.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 75.8 in | 65.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 207 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 65 days | 63 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.8 | 57.2 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 89.0 |
| Violent Crime | 760/100k | 931/100k |
| Property Crime | 1087/100k | 991/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,362 | 326 |
| Median Age | 52.2 | 46.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.14 | 0.40 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.24 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | D+48 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 92.5% | 75.8% |
| Black (%) | 7.5% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 5.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 16.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 9.5/20 | 6.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 145 mi | 134 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.6% | 74.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 308.37 | 337.42 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is South Barre or Wells River more affordable?
- Wells River has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with South Barre's $60k and Wells River's $50k. Median rent is $1k in South Barre versus $746 in Wells River.
- Is South Barre or Wells River safer?
- South Barre has the lower violent crime rate. South Barre reports 760/100k and Wells River reports 931/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in South Barre or Wells River?
- The median home value is $231k in South Barre and $155k in Wells River, so homes are more affordable in Wells River.