Compare towns
Brandon vs Gray vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most affordable homes ($228k median).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Leicester has the most people working from home (12.7%).
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 | Brandon | Gray | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120 |
8,429Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.8±3.8 25% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brandon and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$70,417±$30k 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$309,700±$107k 7% below U.S. |
| Gray and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,098±$300 22% below U.S. |
| Gray and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Highest 36% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Leicester and Gray 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— |
| 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.