Compare towns
Barre vs Windham vs Berlin vs St. Albans
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Windham | Berlin | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
16,038Highest |
2,880Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Berlin 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 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Barre 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% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Windham 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. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #13 of 120 in NH | #16 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Windham High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | 11.4 |
| 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.