Compare towns
St. George vs Barre vs Williston vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. George has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
Worcester has the oldest population (median age 47).
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. George | Barre | Williston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 812Lowest |
8,412 |
10,144Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±13.4 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±7Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. George and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Williston and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.6% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±3.9 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and St. George are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,464±$34kHighest 35% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| St. George and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,800±$50k 19% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$132 13% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,514 9% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 96%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. George and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.6%±8.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| St. George and Worcester 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.