Compare towns
St. Albans vs Jay vs St. Johnsbury
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 most renters (51% rent).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k 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 | Jay | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954 |
471Lowest |
7,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Jay and St. Johnsbury 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% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Jay and St. Albans 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| St. Albans and Jay 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 |
— | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Highest 12% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and St. Johnsbury 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
20 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and St. Johnsbury 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 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.