Compare towns
St. Albans vs Salem 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 most kids (20.5% under 18).
Salem has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Salem | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,954Lowest |
30,964Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
| Salem 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% |
16.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barre and Salem 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% |
38.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem 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. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest 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% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest 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 | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Salem School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Salem High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Highest |
11.2 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.