Compare towns
Wilder vs St. Albans vs Johnson vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Johnson has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Wilder | St. Albans | Johnson | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
6,954Highest |
3,450 |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
38.7±2 10% below VT |
30.9±6.5Lowest 28% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Johnson and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
10.8%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
14.4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$55,346±$14kLowest 32% below VT |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
| Waterbury and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$263,400±$18k 17% below VT |
$169,400±$62kLowest 46% below VT |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$948±$45Lowest 23% below VT |
$1,027±$535 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505 9% above VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
$3,310Lowest 34% below VT |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±20.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Johnson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.2% VT: 10.1% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 29% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
8.8%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 70 in VT | #57 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— | — |
| 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.