Compare towns
Barre vs Castleton vs Rockingham vs Brattleboro
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Rockingham has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
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 | Rockingham | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
4,453Lowest |
4,807 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Rockingham 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Castleton and Rockingham 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,062±$101Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Castleton and Barre 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | #65 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 | Rockingham 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 | 6 photos → |
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.