Compare towns
Durham vs Johnson vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
St. Albans has the oldest population (median age 38.7).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Johnson | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
3,450Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
30.9±6.5 21% below U.S. |
38.7±2Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Johnson and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.8%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$55,346±$14kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$57,980±$7k 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$169,400±$62kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$948±$45Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Durham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,310Lowest 6% above U.S. |
$4,436 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±20.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham and St. Albans 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #57 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | 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 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.