Compare towns
St. Albans vs Calais 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).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Calais | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954 |
1,713Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
| Barre and Calais 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Calais 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Calais 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Calais 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% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%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 |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
— | 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.