Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Colchester vs Bennington
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 oldest population (median age 45.6).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k 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 | Colchester | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Lowest |
17,648Highest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Brattleboro 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% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,471 9% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
20 minHighest 15% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Colchester School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Colchester High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.8 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.