Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Cornish 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).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
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 | Castleton | Cornish | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
4,453 |
1,816Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish and Castleton 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%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% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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 37% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Cornish and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. Albans and Cornish 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cornish School District | 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 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.