Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs Windsor vs Hartford
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 people working from home (17.9%).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Windsor | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,453 |
3,554Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Brattleboro 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 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% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford 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±$71k 29% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Castleton 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 |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 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% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 9.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.