Compare towns
Bath vs Brattleboro vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Bath | Brattleboro | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
12,122Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Bath 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #33 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.