Compare towns
St. Albans vs Sandgate vs Barre vs Bennington
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).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 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 | Sandgate | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,954 |
435Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Bennington 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% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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 29% below VT |
$69,167±$19kHighest 15% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Sandgate 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±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
— | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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 |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Bennington 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | — | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.