Compare towns
Barre vs Dorset 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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Dorset has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Dorset | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,092Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Dorset 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% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset 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% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dorset 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% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest 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 |
$111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Dorset 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 |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Dorset 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 |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset 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% |
11.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 minHighest 8% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| 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.