Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Durham vs Keene
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 kids (19% under 18).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Keene has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Lowest |
15,080 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
37.6±2.3 3% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Lowest 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% |
13.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Durham and Keene 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. |
$6,812 118% 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% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Oyster River Coop School District | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Oyster River High School | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
12.3Highest |
| 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.