Compare towns
Barre vs Unity vs Bennington 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).
Unity has the most homeowners (94.5%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Unity | Bennington | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
1,375Lowest |
15,249Highest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity 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% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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 U.S. |
$87,500±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Unity 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 37% below U.S. |
$276,100±$29kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Unity 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. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Unity and Bennington 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. |
$5,394 73% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington 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% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Unity School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | 14.7Highest |
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.