Compare towns
Barre vs Middlesex vs Sandgate 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).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Sandgate has the oldest population (median age 55.7).
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 | Middlesex | Sandgate | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,943 |
435Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— | $1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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 | 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.