Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Wheelock vs Kirby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the most renters (40.4% rent).
Wheelock has the oldest population (median age 51).
Kirby has the most expensive homes ($303k median).
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. Johnsbury | Wheelock | Kirby |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368Highest |
717Lowest |
756 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
51±5.6Highest 18% above VT |
38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9k 29% below VT |
$64,792±$20kHighest 20% below VT |
$54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
| Wheelock and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$189,600±$37k 40% below VT |
$302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
— | $1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
| Kirby and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916 22% below VT |
$2,937Lowest 42% below VT |
$4,597Highest 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
25%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±9.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Wheelock and Kirby 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.