Compare towns
Castleton vs Barre 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
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Castleton | Barre | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Lowest |
8,412Highest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Barre and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.