Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Colchester vs Hinsdale
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Hinsdale has the most affordable homes ($201k 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 | Hinsdale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
17,648Highest |
3,997Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
39.3±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.3±10.6Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Hinsdale and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Colchester and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.6%±9.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hinsdale 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
12.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$69,191±$5k 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$394,400±$25kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$200,700±$19kLowest 40% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,474±$122Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,050±$409Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,471 75% above U.S. |
$4,899Lowest 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.8%±22.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hinsdale 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #110 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Colchester School District | Hinsdale School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Colchester High School | Hinsdale High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
11.8Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.