Compare towns
St. Johnsbury vs Williston vs Barre
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 affordable homes ($178k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Williston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,368Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Williston and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Williston 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±11Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Williston 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 17% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston and St. Johnsbury 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.