Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Rutland
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Rutland has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
12,122 |
15,712Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Rutland 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% |
15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Rutland 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% |
26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest 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±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% 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±$15k 34% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$995±$65Lowest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,657Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rutland 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% |
15.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
54.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
19 minHighest 19% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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 | #51 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rutland City School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Rutland Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.