Compare towns
St. Albans vs Brattleboro 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 youngest population (median age 38.7).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k 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.
| Measure | St. Albans | Brattleboro | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954Lowest |
12,122Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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 |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro 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 |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro 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% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Brattleboro Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.