Compare towns
Proctor vs Benson 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
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Proctor | Benson | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794 |
784Lowest |
7,057Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
51.9±9.4Highest 20% above VT |
41.3±2.8Lowest 4% below VT |
| Benson and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Benson and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.6% VT: 43.8% |
33.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
7%±5.8 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Albans and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
$78,625±$8k 3% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
$4,689Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.4% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Benson 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 | — | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.