Compare towns
Barre vs Jay 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).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
St. Albans has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
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 | Jay | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
471Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Jay 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Jay 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% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Barre and St. Albans 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 |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
— | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Jay 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | 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 |
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.