Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Gorham 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 highest household income ($66k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Bennington | Gorham | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
2,682Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Bennington 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% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$61,275±$7k 24% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Barre and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,334Lowest 39% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and St. Albans 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% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #57 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Gorham High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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.