What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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	Pelham	St. Albans
People
Population	14,449Highest	6,954Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S.	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average
	Pelham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Pelham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Pelham 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+	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.	$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,425±$88Highest about the U.S. average	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 120 in NH	#46 of 70 in VT
School district	Pelham School District	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town	Pelham High School	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4Lowest	11.4Highest
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.