Compare towns
St. Albans vs Johnson 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 most expensive homes ($263k median).
Johnson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Johnson | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954 |
3,450Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2 10% below VT |
30.9±6.5Lowest 28% below VT |
42.2±6.6Highest about the VT average |
| Barre and St. Albans 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% |
22.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Johnson and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
10.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and St. Albans 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% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
14.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$55,346±$14kLowest 32% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre 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 |
$169,400±$62kLowest 46% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$948±$45Lowest 23% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| St. Albans and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436 12% below VT |
$3,310Lowest 34% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±20.8 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Johnson 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% |
12.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.8%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| St. Albans and Barre 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 | #57 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | 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.