Compare towns
Barre vs Williston vs St. Albans vs Bennington
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
St. Albans has the youngest population (median age 38.7).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Williston | St. Albans | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
10,144 |
6,954Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Williston and Bennington 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Williston 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and Bennington 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.4 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.