Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Cornish vs Brattleboro
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Castleton | Cornish | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
4,453 |
1,816Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Cornish 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | — | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.