Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Epping
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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.
| Measure | Barre | Brattleboro | Epping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
7,657 |
7,430Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Epping 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
47.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping 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 U.S. |
$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$104,220±$7kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,113±$67 21% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Epping and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,490 76% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT | #77 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Epping School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | Epping High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.