Compare towns
Barre vs Guildhall vs Berlin 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).
Guildhall has the highest household income ($115k).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Guildhall | Berlin | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
371Lowest |
2,880 |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42.6±7.8 about the VT average |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Berlin and Guildhall 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% |
22.6%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Guildhall 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% |
26.1%±5.5 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Guildhall 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% |
33.9% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Berlin 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 |
$115,000±$46kHighest 42% above VT |
$86,691±$21k 7% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Guildhall and Berlin 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 |
$321,200±$62kHighest about the VT average |
$273,600±$31k 14% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Guildhall and Berlin 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 |
$850±$717Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Berlin 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 |
$4,625 8% below VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Guildhall 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% |
11.9% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Berlin 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 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.