Compare towns
Barton vs Brandon vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($310k median).
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 | Barton | Brandon | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
4,120Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-10%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
| Brandon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
35.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brandon and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
$70,417±$30kHighest 13% below VT |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$309,700±$107kHighest about the VT average |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
$1,098±$300Highest 11% below VT |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,241Highest 16% below VT |
$3,822 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1951 25 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Leicester 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | — | Otter Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| 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.