Compare towns
Braintree vs Middlesex 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
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Braintree | Middlesex | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,943 |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
41.3±2.8Lowest 4% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Albans and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$90,060±$19k 11% above VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$363,300±$22k 15% above VT |
| Middlesex and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Braintree 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.