What stands out worked out from the figures below

Nashua has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.6%).

St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Nashua	St. Albans
People
Population	91,294Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40±1.3Highest about the U.S. average	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Nashua and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Nashua and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,326±$5kHighest 19% above U.S.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$403,900±$11kHighest 21% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,737±$41Highest 23% above U.S.	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,799Highest 118% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans and Nashua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	55.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#67 of 120 in NH	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Nashua School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Nashua High School South	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.