Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Fairlee vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the highest household income ($58k).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
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 | Fairlee | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
54Lowest |
7,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.8%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kHighest 28% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$52,734±$12k 35% below VT |
| Brattleboro 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±$18k 19% below VT |
$277,500±$28kHighest 12% below VT |
$234,600±$20kLowest 26% below VT |
| Fairlee and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,113±$67Highest 10% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$5,490 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.1%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
21.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT |
1942 34 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 19% below VT |
— | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.