Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs West Brattleboro
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).
Castleton has the highest household income ($74k).
West Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Castleton | West Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657Highest |
4,453 |
2,749Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47.2±10.4Highest 10% above VT |
| West Brattleboro 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 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| West Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23%±5.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and West 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
35.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.8%±2.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,734±$12k 35% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$44,827±$8kLowest 45% below VT |
| Castleton and Brattleboro 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 |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$256,100±$60kHighest 19% below VT |
| West Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67 10% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$848±$178Lowest 31% below VT |
| Castleton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490Highest 9% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,500 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.9%±27.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and West 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% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
66.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.6%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| West Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.