What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).

St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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	Bethlehem	St. Albans
People
Population	2,537Lowest	6,954Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	50.6±8.5Highest 30% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	17.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±5.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	St. Albans and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
	Bethlehem and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
	Bethlehem and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,418Highest 74% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.3%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 23% below U.S.	23 minHighest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	31.2%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#34 of 120 in NH	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Bethlehem School District · Profile School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Profile Senior High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	8.9Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.