Compare towns
St. Albans vs Derry vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Derry | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954Lowest |
34,116Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.3±1.6 4% above U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Bow and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Derry 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derry and Bow 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 28% below U.S. |
$108,944±$7k 35% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$432,000±$17k 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,547±$138Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
| Derry and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,103 160% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. Albans and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Pinkerton Academy | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
13.9Highest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.