Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Calais vs Windsor
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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Calais has the highest household income ($101k).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k 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 | Calais | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,060 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Windsor 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% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
| Calais and Brattleboro 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,878Lowest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Brattleboro 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.