Compare towns
Barre vs St. Albans vs Sutton vs Berlin
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).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Sutton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
6,954 |
2,239Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Sutton 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% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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 U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Berlin 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% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
11.4Highest |
10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.

