Compare towns
Bow vs St. Albans vs Johnson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
St. Albans has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k 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 | Bow | St. Albans | Johnson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
6,954 |
3,450Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
30.9±6.5Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bow and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
10.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
$55,346±$14kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$169,400±$62kLowest 49% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$948±$45Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,310Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±20.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT | #57 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.