Compare towns
Barnard vs Barre vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Barnard | Barre | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
8,412Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Highest about the VT average |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Barnard and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnard and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Barre and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 21% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Barnard and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| 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.