Compare towns
Barre vs Mapleton vs Brattleboro 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Mapleton | Brattleboro | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,884Lowest |
12,122Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Brattleboro 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro 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% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%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% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Brattleboro 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 U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8k 28% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Mapleton 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±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78Highest 19% below U.S. |
| St. Albans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 9.0Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.