Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Wolfeboro 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).
Wolfeboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Wolfeboro | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657 |
6,571Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 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%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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. |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67 21% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490Highest 76% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest 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% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wolfeboro 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 | #46 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | — | Kingswood Regional High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
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.