Compare towns
St. Albans vs Bristol 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Bristol | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954 |
3,778Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Bristol 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% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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% |
21.9%±4.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bristol 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% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bristol 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 |
$74,620±$8kHighest 8% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Bristol 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±$18k 17% below VT |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Bristol and St. Albans 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 |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Bristol 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% |
10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Mt. Abraham Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.