Compare towns
Barre vs Gorham vs Brattleboro vs Berlin
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
Berlin has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Gorham | Brattleboro | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
18,300Highest |
12,122 |
2,880Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Berlin 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% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Gorham and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$112,312±$6kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Gorham and Berlin 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. |
$460,900±$26kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,680±$355Highest 19% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Gorham and Berlin 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. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Berlin 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #33 of 70 in VT | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Gorham Public Schools | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Gorham High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
12.9Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.