Compare towns
Barre vs Sheldon vs Troy 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).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Troy has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Sheldon | Troy | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
2,267 |
1,749Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
44.5±5.7Highest 3% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Troy 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Troy 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% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
20.2% VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Troy 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 |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Troy and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Sheldon and St. Albans 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Sheldon and St. Albans 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,644 28% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Sheldon 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Troy School District | 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 | 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.