Compare towns
Barre vs St. Albans vs Milton
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 oldest population (median age 48.4).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,005 |
6,954Lowest |
10,769Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
16%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Milton 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 | $93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $281,400±$13k 11% below VT |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$372,500±$20kHighest 18% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,524±$399 24% above VT |
$1,150±$78Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
| Milton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,737 6% below VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,610Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Milton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 4% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.7%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Milton 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #56 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Milton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Milton Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.