Compare towns

St. Albans vs Sunapee vs White River Junction

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).
Sunapee has the most homeowners (75.9%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).

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. AlbansSunapeeWhite River Junction
People
Population
6,954Highest
3,416
3,364Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.6%
U.S.: +7.4%
-0.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
38.7±2
about the U.S. average
56.7±1.4Highest
46% above U.S.
33.7±3.2Lowest
13% below U.S.
Kids under 18
20.5%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
9.9%±3.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.1%±5
U.S.: 22%
St. Albans and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
13.9%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
33.3%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
12.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
31.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
50.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
38.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.7%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±3.5Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.2%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Sunapee 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.
$101,393±$20kHighest
26% above U.S.
$77,168±$4k
4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$263,400±$18kLowest
21% below U.S.
$393,000±$51kHighest
18% above U.S.
$278,800±$78k
16% below U.S.
Sunapee and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$78Lowest
19% below U.S.
$1,713±$451Highest
21% above U.S.
$1,222±$216
14% below U.S.
Sunapee and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,436
42% above U.S.
$4,400Lowest
41% above U.S.
$5,651Highest
81% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.8%±11.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.6%±10.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±17.3
U.S.: 51.1%
St. Albans and White River Junction 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%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
12.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
49%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
43.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1945Lowest
35 yrs older than U.S.
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1963
17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 min
14% below U.S.
33 minHighest
24% above U.S.
15 minLowest
42% below U.S.
Work from home
12.1%±3.5
U.S.: 15.1%
9.5%±4.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±5.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
White River Junction 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 #14 of 120 in NH —
School district Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 Sunapee School District —
High school in town Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) Sunapee Sr. High School —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.4Lowest
11.9Highest
—
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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.