Compare towns
Barre vs Bath vs Berlin 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).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Bath | Berlin | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
8,815Highest |
2,880Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Berlin and Bath 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% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Berlin 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% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Bath 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% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Berlin 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. |
$69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Bath and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Berlin and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Bath 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% |
12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #16 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Morse High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— | 11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.