Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Strafford
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
12,122Highest |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford 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%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Brattleboro 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%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Strafford 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% VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford 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 VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,125±$789Highest 9% below VT |
| Strafford 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 |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Strafford 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Strafford 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 | Strafford School District |
| 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 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.