Compare towns
Hartford vs St. Albans vs St. Johnsbury
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%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | St. Albans | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
6,954Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Highest about the VT average |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Hartford and St. Johnsbury 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% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Hartford and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% 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 |
$1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and St. Johnsbury 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% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Hartford 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | 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.