Compare towns
Barre vs Enosburgh vs Swanton 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).
Enosburgh has the most homeowners (75.7%).
Swanton has the most kids (24.3% under 18).
St. Albans has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Enosburgh | Swanton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,804 |
2,670Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
40.6±3.9 6% below VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
| Barre and Enosburgh 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% |
21%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Enosburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
20.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
20.2% VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.4%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Enosburgh 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 |
$63,828±$17k 21% below VT |
$66,607±$27kHighest 18% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Swanton 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 |
$223,100±$39k 30% below VT |
$229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$852±$87Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Swanton and St. Albans 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 |
$3,624Lowest 28% below VT |
$4,370 13% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.9%±11.2 VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Enosburgh 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% |
13.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
75.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.8% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
32 minHighest 36% above VT |
21 min 9% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
10.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 | #26 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Enosburg Falls Middle/High School | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
10.4Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.