Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bristol vs Bennington
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%).
Bristol has the most expensive homes ($337k median).
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 | Bristol | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
3,778Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
47.9±4.8Highest 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Bristol 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% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 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% |
41.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Bristol 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 VT |
$74,620±$8kHighest 8% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Bristol and Bennington 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 |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Bristol and Bennington 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 |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Bristol 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% |
10.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | #31 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt. Abraham Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.9 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.