Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dover vs Hartford vs Waterbury
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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Dover | Hartford | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
33,364Highest |
10,736 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Hartford 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$103,917±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dover 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #33 of 70 in VT | #64 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dover School District | Hartford School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Dover Senior High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.7Highest |
9.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.