Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Hampton 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).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).
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 | Bennington | Hampton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
10,101 |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest 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. |
51.2±1.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3 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% |
26.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%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% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 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% |
48.9%±13.1 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%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% |
74.5%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. |
1979Highest 1 yr 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. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Bennington 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 | #31 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 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | 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.