Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bedford vs Hampstead
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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Bedford | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
23,746Highest |
9,102Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.3±6.1 16% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hampstead and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$112,348±$18k 39% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$521,100±$45k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,299±$149 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Hampstead 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bedford School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Bedford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.