Compare towns
St. Albans vs Bellows Falls vs Barre vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Barre has the highest household income ($66k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | St. Albans | Bellows Falls | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,954 |
2,891Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.