Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bennington vs Hinsdale vs Hartford
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 people working from home (17.9%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Hinsdale has the most homeowners (80.2%).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Bennington | Hinsdale | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,249Highest |
3,997Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
53.3±10.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Hinsdale 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
15%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±9.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hinsdale 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
12.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$69,191±$5k 14% below U.S. |
$78,125±$7kHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Hinsdale are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$200,700±$19kLowest 40% below U.S. |
$304,500±$26kHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,050±$409Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,899 57% above U.S. |
$5,773Highest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.8%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Hinsdale 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% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #110 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hinsdale School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hinsdale High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
14.7Highest |
7.2Lowest |
9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.