Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bennington vs Stowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Brattleboro | Bennington | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657 |
15,249Highest |
5,285Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
| Stowe and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,734±$12kLowest 35% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
| Stowe and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 26% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490 9% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
19 minHighest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe and Bennington 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.