What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).

Fair Haven has the most homeowners (80.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brattleboro	Fair Haven
People
Population	12,122Highest	2,724Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT	39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT
	Brattleboro and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9%
	Fair Haven 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 VT: 21.4%	18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6 VT: 7%	4.1%±2.9 VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT	$62,404±$16kHighest 23% below VT
	Fair Haven and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT	$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT	$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Highest 13% above VT	$3,865Lowest 23% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	Fair Haven and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	18.9%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	80.6%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 19% below VT	31 minHighest 31% above VT
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9%	4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#33 of 70 in VT	#66 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

VT 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.