Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Barre vs Hartford vs Rutland
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 people working from home (17.9%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Rutland has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Barre | Hartford | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
8,412Lowest |
10,736 |
15,712Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Rutland and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hartford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$995±$65Lowest 19% below VT |
| Hartford and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,657Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Rutland and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
54.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 19% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #51 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District | Rutland City School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School | Rutland Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
9.6 |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.