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