Compare towns
Windsor vs Brighton vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
St. Albans has the most expensive 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 | Windsor | Brighton | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,554 |
1,167Lowest |
6,954Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Brighton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Brighton 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 | $52,484±$11k 35% below VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$57,980±$7kHighest 29% below VT |
| St. Albans and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31k 34% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89 17% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209Highest 3% above VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,436 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
19.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 3% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
23 minLowest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brighton and St. Albans 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Brighton School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.