Compare towns
Braintree vs Franklin vs Highgate vs Stockbridge
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).
Franklin has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Highgate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.8%).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Franklin | Highgate | Stockbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
1,590 |
3,528Highest |
791Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
38.8±6.9Lowest 10% below VT |
44±7.4 about the VT average |
55.3±5.3 28% above VT |
| Braintree and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±5.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Franklin and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Stockbridge 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% |
21.7% VT: 43.8% |
19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
35%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.5%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Franklin and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$79,917±$21k about the VT average |
$81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$77,109±$12kLowest 5% below VT |
| Highgate and Franklin 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 |
$247,400±$66k 22% below VT |
$280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$283,500±$26kHighest 10% below VT |
| Stockbridge and Highgate 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 |
$891±$266 28% below VT |
$895±$691 27% below VT |
$1,140±$126Highest 8% below VT |
| Stockbridge and Highgate 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 |
$3,384Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,558 29% below VT |
$4,488Highest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
45.5%±42.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Stockbridge and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
74.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
25 minLowest 8% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
18.1%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Braintree 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 | — | — | #43 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.