Compare towns
Barton vs Mapleton vs Bowdoin 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%).
Mapleton has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
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 | Mapleton | Bowdoin | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730Lowest |
1,884 |
3,188Highest |
1,167 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
44.3±10 14% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Brighton and Bowdoin 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% |
22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Barton 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% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Brighton 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. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$47,375±$21k 41% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23k 42% below U.S. |
$292,800±$71kHighest 12% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39k 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150 46% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
— | $775±$33Highest 45% below U.S. |
| Brighton and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185 about the U.S. average |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$3,375Highest 8% above U.S. |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±7 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.