Compare towns
White River Junction vs Bedford vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Bedford has the most expensive homes ($612k median).
St. Albans has the most affordable homes ($263k 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 | White River Junction | Bedford | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,364Lowest |
23,746Highest |
6,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45±2.2Highest 16% above U.S. |
38.7±2 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 4% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 16% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216 14% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 81% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #7 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bedford School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | Bedford High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.