What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).

Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).

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	Castleton
People
Population	12,122Highest	4,453Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT	38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT
	Brattleboro and Castleton 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%	18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brattleboro and Castleton 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%	20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro and Castleton 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%	37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT	$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT
	Castleton 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±$18kHighest 19% below VT	$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT
	Brattleboro and Castleton 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	$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT
	Castleton and Brattleboro 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	$3,167Lowest 37% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Castleton 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%	12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	79%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 19% below VT	19 minHighest 17% below VT
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9%	6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 70 in VT	#39 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
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

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.