Compare towns
Calais vs St. Albans vs White River Junction
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most homeowners (92.4%).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Calais | St. Albans | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Highest about the VT average |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Calais and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Calais and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$263,400±$18kLowest 17% below VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Calais and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,150±$78Lowest 7% below VT |
$1,222±$216 about the VT average |
| Calais and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and White River Junction 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.