Compare towns
Barre vs Dorset 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).
Dorset has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
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 | Dorset | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,092Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Dorset 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 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and St. Albans 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% |
21.9%±4.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dorset and Barre 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% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Dorset 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 |
$111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Dorset 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 |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Dorset 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 3% above VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset 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% |
11.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 8% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | 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 |
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.