Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bennington vs St. Albans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
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 | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,249Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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 | $58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$59,446±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$57,980±$7kLowest 29% below VT |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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 |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
11.4 |
| 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.