Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Durham vs Lee
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 youngest population (median age 20.8).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,080Highest |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Lee 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee 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% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Lee 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% |
50.6% 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% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kHighest 63% above U.S. |
| Lee and Durham 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. |
$504,300±$41kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Durham and Lee 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. |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% 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% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest 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% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Durham 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 | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Oyster River Coop School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Oyster River High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 10 photos → |
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.