Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Cornish vs Middlesex vs Bennington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
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 | Cornish | Middlesex | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
1,816Lowest |
1,943 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Cornish School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.