Compare towns

St. Albans vs Belvidere vs Barre

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 the most people working from home (12.1%).
Belvidere has the most homeowners (86.1%).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).

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.

MeasureSt. AlbansBelvidereBarre
People
Population
6,954
422Lowest
8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.6%Highest
VT: +2.8%
—
-6.2%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
38.7±2Lowest
10% below VT
40.7±6.5
6% below VT
42.2±6.6Highest
about the VT average
Barre and Belvidere 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%±4Highest
VT: 17.9%
13.5%±3.8Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Belvidere and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
13.9%±2.5
VT: 21.4%
8.8%±4Lowest
VT: 21.4%
19.4%±3.9Highest
VT: 21.4%
Barre 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+
31.7%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
35.9%
VT: 43.8%
36.1%Highest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±1.6
VT: 7%
1.4%±1.3Lowest
VT: 7%
3.4%±1.9Highest
VT: 7%
Barre and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$57,980±$7kLowest
29% below VT
$81,563±$18kHighest
about the VT average
$65,625±$7k
19% below VT
Belvidere and Barre 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
$239,200±$51k
24% below VT
$210,400±$15kLowest
34% below VT
St. Albans and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$78
7% below VT
$1,542±$1kHighest
25% above VT
$1,093±$58Lowest
11% below VT
Belvidere and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,436
12% below VT
$3,908Lowest
22% below VT
$5,192Highest
3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.8%±11.8
VT: 48.4%
66.7%±53.8Highest
VT: 48.4%
34.4%±10.3Lowest
VT: 48.4%
Belvidere 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%Highest
VT: 10.1%
5.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
17.3%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
49%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
86.1%Highest
VT: 73.2%
50.4%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
31 yrs older than VT
1989Highest
13 yrs newer than VT
1947
29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
4% below VT
38 minHighest
60% above VT
19 minLowest
21% below VT
Work from home
12.1%±3.5Highest
VT: 16.9%
9.4%±7.6Lowest
VT: 16.9%
10.5%±4.1
VT: 16.9%
St. Albans and Barre 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
School district Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 — Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) — Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Highest
—
10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.