Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Reading vs St. Albans
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 most affordable homes ($210k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Reading | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
699Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Reading and Bennington 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% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Reading 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% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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 VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Reading 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±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Reading 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% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — | #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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | 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 |
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.