Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Wilder vs Barre
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 kids (20% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Wilder | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657 |
3,087Lowest |
8,412Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Wilder and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Wilder and Barre 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 |
$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67 10% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Wilder and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490 9% above VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Wilder 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
19 minHighest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Wilder 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.