Compare towns
Braintree vs Bristol vs Chelsea
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Bristol has the most expensive homes ($337k median).
Chelsea has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Braintree | Bristol | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
3,778Highest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
54.1±12.1 26% above VT |
| Braintree and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$65,913±$13kLowest 19% below VT |
| Braintree and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$260,900±$39k 18% below VT |
| Bristol and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,275±$181 3% above VT |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
| Chelsea and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Chelsea and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
25 minLowest 5% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Bristol 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 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.