Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Durham vs Hartford
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).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($504k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,080Highest |
10,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9 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%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Durham and Hartford 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham 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% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Oyster River Coop School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Oyster River High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
9.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.