What stands out worked out from the figures below

St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k median).

Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	St. Albans	Salem
People
Population	6,954Lowest	30,964Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average	44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%	16.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	St. Albans and Salem 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%	18.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Salem 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 28% below U.S.	$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S.	$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S.	$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S.	$6,992Highest 124% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	44.5%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	St. Albans and Salem 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%	5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S.	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.
Work from home	12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Salem 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	#38 of 120 in NH
School district	Maple Run Unified Union School District #57	Salem School District
High school in town	Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans)	Salem High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.