Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Exeter vs Williston vs Bennington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Exeter | Williston | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
16,151Highest |
10,144Lowest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brattleboro 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Williston and Exeter 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. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Exeter High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.1 |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.