Salaries in Barre, VT

Barre isn’t the place you move to chase a tech salary, but it’s quietly home to the highest earner in town: software developers pulling in $130,123. That’s a jolt of a number for a city of 8,461 people, and it tells you this isn’t your typical Vermont small-town economy.

Let’s talk real dollars. Barre’s cost of living sits at 107.5—that’s 7.5% above the national average. For the median household, which earns $53,288, that gap eats into your wallet. A one-bedroom apartment runs $1,343 a month, so housing alone can take a big bite. The COL-adjusted average salary here drops to $54,223, which feels tight. It’s not a steal, but it’s not a rip-off either; it’s a place where you trade some purchasing power for the quiet and the mountains.

The economy here leans on healthcare, education, and skilled trades. Central Vermont Medical Center and the Barre Area Union High School are major employers. The fact that an accountant or a registered nurse earns around $88,000—a solid middle-class life here—shows the demand for professional services. It’s a town that needs its electricians and teachers as much as it needs its office workers.

Here’s my honest take: wages aren’t keeping up with the creeping cost of living. That 2.3% unemployment rate is fantastic, a sign of a hungry job market, but it also means employers don’t have to fight hard for workers. If you have a specialized skill—like that software developer role—you’ll do well. If you’re in a field with less leverage, you might feel the pinch. For remote workers earning a national salary, though? Barre is a fantastic bargain.

Below, we’ll break down what you can expect to earn in five key fields, both in raw numbers and adjusted for what it actually costs to live there.