Compare towns
Barre vs Braintree vs Castleton 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Braintree | Castleton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,026Lowest |
4,453 |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Braintree and Castleton 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 |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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 |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton 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 |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| 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.