Compare towns
Barre vs Newfields vs Putney 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).
Newfields has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Newfields | Putney | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,023Lowest |
2,622 |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Highest 13% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Newfields 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% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Putney 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% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Newfields School District | 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 | 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 | 6 photos → | 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.