Compare towns
Barre vs Proctor vs Ryegate 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).
Proctor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
St. Albans has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
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 | Proctor | Ryegate | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
1,794 |
1,059Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
42.4±6.4Highest about the VT average |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Proctor 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Proctor 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 |
$74,167±$12kHighest 9% below VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Proctor and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Ryegate 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% VT: 10.1% |
16.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1949Highest 27 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
8.7Lowest |
— | 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.