Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Colchester
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).
Brattleboro has the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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 | Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
12,122 |
17,648Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Brattleboro 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,471 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Colchester 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
20 minHighest 15% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Colchester School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Colchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.0Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| 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.