Compare towns
Barre vs Windsor 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).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
St. Albans has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
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 | Windsor | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
3,554Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Windsor 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% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Barre and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Barre and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Highest 29 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.