Compare towns
Barre vs Amherst vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
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 | Barre | Amherst | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
11,861Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Amherst and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Amherst and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$153,196±$10kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256Highest 3% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Amherst and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #20 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Souhegan Coop High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
10.4Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.