Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs Reading
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 most renters (41.5% rent).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Castleton | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,453 |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Lowest 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%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Reading 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Reading 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.