Compare towns
Barton vs Sutton vs Brighton vs Orleans
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 kids (24.1% under 18).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
Orleans has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
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 | Sutton | Brighton | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730Lowest |
2,239Highest |
1,167 |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
41.7±5.8 7% above U.S. |
| Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barton and Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brighton and Sutton 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% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$47,375±$21k 41% below U.S. |
$57,159±$10k 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 56% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$163,900±$39k 51% below U.S. |
$156,300±$18k 53% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$775±$33 45% below U.S. |
$810±$94 43% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185 about the U.S. average |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,360 8% above U.S. |
$3,019Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Barton and Sutton 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 | — | Kearsarge Regional School District | Brighton School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.