Compare towns

Barre vs Brattleboro vs Kingston

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 most kids (19% under 18).
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

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.

MeasureBarreBrattleboroKingston
People
Population
8,412
12,122Highest
6,275Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.2±6.6Lowest
8% above U.S.
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
55.5±5.7Highest
43% above U.S.
Kingston 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%
19%±2.8Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brattleboro and Barre 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%
25.5%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.7%±6
U.S.: 17.2%
Brattleboro and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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.
$58,241±$8kLowest
28% below U.S.
$105,330±$12kHighest
30% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$210,400±$15kLowest
37% below U.S.
$257,300±$18k
23% below U.S.
$492,900±$58kHighest
48% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,093±$58
23% below U.S.
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,393±$156Highest
about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,192Lowest
66% above U.S.
$5,700
83% above U.S.
$7,906Highest
153% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.4%±10.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±9.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±46.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
17.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
17.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
1955
25 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
30% below U.S.
19 min
28% below U.S.
34 minHighest
29% above U.S.
Work from home
10.5%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.9%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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 #78 of 120 in NH
School district Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Sanborn Regional School District
High school in town Spaulding Union High School Brattleboro Union High School Sanborn Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7
9.0Lowest
12.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 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.