Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Webster vs Middlesex
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).
Webster has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Webster | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657Highest |
2,227 |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Webster and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Middlesex 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% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex 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 U.S. |
$107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Webster and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$6,021 93% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster 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% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Webster 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.