Compare towns

St. Albans vs Newfane 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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.

MeasureSt. AlbansNewfaneBarre
People
Population
6,954
1,456Lowest
8,412Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.6%Highest
VT: +2.8%
-4.7%
VT: +2.8%
-6.2%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
38.7±2Lowest
10% below VT
54.4±3.9Highest
26% above VT
42.2±6.6
about the VT average
Kids under 18
20.5%±3.7Highest
VT: 17.9%
11.1%±3.7Lowest
VT: 17.9%
13.5%±3.8
VT: 17.9%
St. Albans and Barre 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%
29.2%±3.9Highest
VT: 21.4%
19.4%±3.9
VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
31.7%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
46.5%Highest
VT: 43.8%
36.1%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±1.6
VT: 7%
2.4%±2.1Lowest
VT: 7%
3.4%±1.9Highest
VT: 7%
Barre 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±$7kLowest
29% below VT
$66,719±$21kHighest
18% below VT
$65,625±$7k
19% below VT
Newfane and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$263,400±$18k
17% below VT
$284,200±$49kHighest
10% below VT
$210,400±$15kLowest
34% below VT
Newfane and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$78
7% below VT
$1,266±$238Highest
about the VT average
$1,093±$58Lowest
11% below VT
Newfane 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
$5,174
about the VT average
$5,192Highest
3% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.8%±11.8
VT: 48.4%
51.9%±79.7Highest
VT: 48.4%
34.4%±10.3Lowest
VT: 48.4%
Newfane 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
VT: 10.1%
10.9%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
17.3%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
49%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
87.2%Highest
VT: 73.2%
50.4%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
31 yrs older than VT
1971Highest
5 yrs older than VT
1947
29 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
4% below VT
27 minHighest
13% above VT
19 minLowest
21% below VT
Work from home
12.1%±3.5
VT: 16.9%
30.8%±12.5Highest
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 West River Valley Union Education District #72A 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 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.