Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Reading
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 most kids (19% under 18).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
12,122Highest |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading 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% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Reading 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% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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 |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Barre 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 |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
| Reading 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 |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.