What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).

Canaan has the highest household income ($82k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brattleboro	Canaan
People
Population	12,122Highest	3,811Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S.	44.4±3.7Lowest 14% above U.S.
	Brattleboro and Canaan 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%	14.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Brattleboro and Canaan 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%	19.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Brattleboro and Canaan 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 U.S.: 35.7%	28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canaan 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±$8kLowest 28% below U.S.	$81,583±$6kHighest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S.	$254,000±$26kLowest 24% below U.S.
	Brattleboro and Canaan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,140±$90Highest 19% below U.S.
	Canaan and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S.	$5,985Highest 92% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	74.4%±25.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canaan 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%	13.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.	30 minHighest 14% above U.S.
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.9%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brattleboro and Canaan 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	#83 of 120 in NH
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	Mascoma Valley Regional School District
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Mascoma Valley Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	10.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.