Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Exeter vs Bennington vs Barre
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 kids (20% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Barre has the youngest population (median age 42.2).
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 | Exeter | Bennington | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,657Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,249 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67 21% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490 76% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.