Compare towns
Barre vs Keene 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).
Keene has the most people working from home (15.6%).
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 | Keene | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
22,939Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Barre and St. Albans 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% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Keene 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%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% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Keene 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 37% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Keene 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. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Keene 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Keene School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Keene High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.3Highest |
11.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.