Compare towns
St. Albans vs White River Junction 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 kids (20.5% under 18).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Bennington has the most homeowners (58.4%).
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 | White River Junction | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,954 |
3,364Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2 10% below VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
38.9%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% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest 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% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 4% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction 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 Our Story | 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.