Compare towns
Hartford vs Johnson 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
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
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 | Hartford | Johnson | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
3,450Lowest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average |
30.9±6.5Lowest 28% below VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Johnson and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
10.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
14.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$55,346±$14kLowest 32% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$169,400±$62kLowest 46% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$948±$45Lowest 23% below VT |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
| Hartford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$3,310Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±20.8 VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.2% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.8%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #57 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.