Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Cornish vs Salisbury
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).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,816 |
1,609Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5 32% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Salisbury 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% |
20.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salisbury 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% |
24.9%±4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Salisbury 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. |
$111,591±$17kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$363,400±$47kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$1,917±$632Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,859Highest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Cornish 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Salisbury 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Cornish School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| 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 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.