Compare towns
St. Albans vs Gray vs Barre
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 youngest population (median age 38.7).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Gray | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954Lowest |
8,429Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5Highest 12% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Gray 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% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray 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 28% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 42% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
12.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.