Compare towns

Barre vs Brattleboro 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 highest household income ($66k).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).

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.

MeasureBarreBrattleboroBrattleboro
People
Population
8,412
7,657Lowest
12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.2%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
-0.8%
VT: +2.8%
+1.1%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
42.2±6.6Lowest
about the VT average
44.3±5.9
about the VT average
45.6±4.5Highest
6% above VT
Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.5%±3.8Lowest
VT: 17.9%
20%±4.1Highest
VT: 17.9%
19%±2.8
VT: 17.9%
Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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%
24.8%±4.2
VT: 21.4%
25.5%±3.2Highest
VT: 21.4%
Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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%
47.2%Highest
VT: 43.8%
46.5%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.9Lowest
VT: 7%
4.3%±2.4Highest
VT: 7%
4.1%±1.6
VT: 7%
Brattleboro 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±$7kHighest
19% below VT
$52,734±$12kLowest
35% below VT
$58,241±$8k
28% below VT
Barre and Brattleboro 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
$234,600±$20k
26% below VT
$257,300±$18kHighest
19% below VT
Brattleboro 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
$1,113±$67Highest
10% below VT
$1,074±$58Lowest
13% below VT
Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,192Lowest
3% above VT
$5,490
9% above VT
$5,700Highest
13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.4%±10.3Lowest
VT: 48.4%
46.1%±9.5
VT: 48.4%
46.9%±9.6Highest
VT: 48.4%
Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17.3%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
21.3%Highest
VT: 10.1%
17.8%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.4%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
50.7%
VT: 73.2%
58.5%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947
29 yrs older than VT
1938Lowest
38 yrs older than VT
1955Highest
21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
21% below VT
15 minLowest
35% below VT
19 minHighest
19% below VT
Work from home
10.5%±4.1Lowest
VT: 16.9%
11.8%±5.1
VT: 16.9%
17.9%±4Highest
VT: 16.9%
Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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 #33 of 70 in VT #33 of 70 in VT
School district Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center — Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town Spaulding Union High School — Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7Highest
—
9.0Lowest
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.