Compare towns
Barre vs Bellows Falls vs St. Albans vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | Bellows Falls | St. Albans | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,891 |
6,954 |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Berlin 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 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls 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 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
28.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls 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 VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
| Berlin and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| 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 3% above VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Berlin 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 | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 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.