Compare towns
St. Albans vs Williston vs Windsor 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 renters (51% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Williston | Windsor | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,954 |
10,144 |
3,554Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Williston and Windsor 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78 7% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 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.