Compare towns

Barre vs Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Morristown

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Morristown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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.

MeasureBarreBenningtonBrattleboroMorristown
People
Population
8,412
15,249Highest
12,122
5,722Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.2%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
-2.7%
VT: +2.8%
+1.1%
VT: +2.8%
+4%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
42.2±6.6Lowest
about the VT average
44.7±2.3
4% above VT
45.6±4.5
6% above VT
47.8±4.6Highest
11% above VT
Morristown and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.5%±3.8
VT: 17.9%
17.7%±2.3
VT: 17.9%
19%±2.8Highest
VT: 17.9%
11.5%±3Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.4%±3.9Lowest
VT: 21.4%
25.2%±2.8
VT: 21.4%
25.5%±3.2Highest
VT: 21.4%
25.5%±5.2Highest
VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.1%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
36.9%
VT: 43.8%
46.5%Highest
VT: 43.8%
40.7%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.9Lowest
VT: 7%
5.8%±1.6Highest
VT: 7%
4.1%±1.6
VT: 7%
5.6%±2.7
VT: 7%
Bennington and Morristown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$65,625±$7k
19% below VT
$59,446±$7k
27% below VT
$58,241±$8kLowest
28% below VT
$66,273±$5kHighest
18% below VT
Morristown and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$210,400±$15kLowest
34% below VT
$213,300±$15k
33% below VT
$257,300±$18k
19% below VT
$298,600±$48kHighest
6% below VT
Morristown and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,093±$58
11% below VT
$1,133±$63
8% below VT
$1,074±$58Lowest
13% below VT
$1,214±$123Highest
about the VT average
Morristown and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,192
3% above VT
$4,513Lowest
10% below VT
$5,700Highest
13% above VT
$4,838
4% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.4%±10.3Lowest
VT: 48.4%
68.8%±14.1Highest
VT: 48.4%
46.9%±9.6
VT: 48.4%
40%±12.7
VT: 48.4%
Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17.3%
VT: 10.1%
13.2%
VT: 10.1%
17.8%Highest
VT: 10.1%
9.8%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.4%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
58.4%
VT: 73.2%
58.5%
VT: 73.2%
65%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947Lowest
29 yrs older than VT
1961
15 yrs older than VT
1955
21 yrs older than VT
1979Highest
3 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
21% below VT
17 minLowest
27% below VT
19 min
19% below VT
21 minHighest
10% below VT
Work from home
10.5%±4.1Lowest
VT: 16.9%
15.1%±4.4
VT: 16.9%
17.9%±4Highest
VT: 16.9%
11%±4.2
VT: 16.9%
Brattleboro and Bennington 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 #19 of 70 in VT #58 of 70 in VT #33 of 70 in VT #35 of 70 in VT
School district Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90
High school in town Spaulding Union High School Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School Brattleboro Union High School Peoples Academy
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7
14.7Highest
9.0Lowest
12.4
On TownTapestry
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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.