Compare towns
Barnard vs Royalton vs St. Albans vs Calais
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%).
Royalton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Royalton | St. Albans | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
2,752 |
6,954Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6 about the VT average |
43.9±10.1Highest about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
| Royalton and Barnard 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Royalton and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Royalton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$263,200±$73kLowest 17% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
| Barnard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 20% above VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Calais 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% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
20 minLowest 13% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Barnard 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 | — | #48 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | White River Unified School District #79 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | White River Valley High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.