Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs White River Junction vs Brattleboro
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Barre | Bennington | White River Junction | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
3,364Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest 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%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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 |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| White River Junction 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 |
$5,651 12% above VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 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% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
19 minHighest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and White River Junction 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 |
| 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 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| 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.