Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bow vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Bow | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657Lowest |
8,335 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Bow 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 U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490 76% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.