Compare towns
Bow vs Brattleboro vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Bow | Brattleboro | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
12,122Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Brattleboro 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
9.0Lowest |
9.6 |
| 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.