Compare towns
Barre vs St. Albans vs Bennington vs Berlin
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 most affordable homes ($210k median).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Berlin has the most homeowners (87.9%).
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 | St. Albans | Bennington | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
6,954 |
15,249Highest |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
50.6±2.4Highest 17% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Berlin and Bennington 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% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Berlin 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 |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
| Berlin 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±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$273,600±$31kHighest 14% below VT |
| Berlin 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±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
| Berlin 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 |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,418Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.