Compare towns
Bradford vs Epping vs Shaftsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
Epping has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Bradford | Epping | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,827Lowest |
7,430Highest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±3.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
43±6.6 11% above U.S. |
| Epping and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bradford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Epping and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,162±$15kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Bradford and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,600±$30kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$808 14% below U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Epping and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,472 43% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,015Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±23.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 70 in VT | #77 of 120 in NH | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 | Epping School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Oxbow Union High School | Epping High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| 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.