Compare towns
Brighton vs St. Albans vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
St. Albans has the highest household income ($58k).
Charleston has the most homeowners (87.1%).
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 | Brighton | St. Albans | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167 |
6,954Highest |
936Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
| Charleston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Brighton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$57,980±$7kHighest 29% below VT |
$49,286±$17k 39% below VT |
| St. Albans and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
$238,000±$53k 25% below VT |
| St. Albans and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$979±$444 21% below VT |
| St. Albans and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,436Highest 12% below VT |
$3,750 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
12.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston and Brighton 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 | Brighton School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Charleston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.