Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Cornwall vs Barre 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 most kids (19% under 18).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Cornwall | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
1,208Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Cornwall and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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 VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Cornwall 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 |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.