What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethel has the most homeowners (83.6%).

St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethel	St. Johnsbury
People
Population	1,736Lowest	7,368Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8%	-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT	42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9%	21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4%	21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bethel and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,822±$7kHighest 7% below VT	$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$238,000±$41kHighest 25% below VT	$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT	$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,168Highest about the VT average	$3,916Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±22Highest VT: 48.4%	48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bethel and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	16.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Highest 10 yrs older than VT	1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 19% above VT	20 minLowest 17% below VT
Work from home	7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#60 of 70 in VT
School district	White River Unified School District #79	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.