Compare towns
Barton vs Colrain vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most people working from home (16.5%).
Colrain has the most expensive homes ($284k median).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
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 | Colrain | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
1,627Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.6±8.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Colrain and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colrain and Brighton 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brighton and Colrain 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 49% below U.S. |
$80,673±$10kHighest about the U.S. average |
$47,375±$21k 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$284,300±$14kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39k 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,102±$77Highest 22% below U.S. |
$775±$33 45% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,317Highest 38% above U.S. |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46%±22.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Barton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton and Brighton 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Mohawk Trail | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.