What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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	Freeport
People
Population	12,122Highest	8,802Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S.	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Freeport 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Freeport 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±$8kLowest 28% below U.S.	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S.	$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Highest 83% above U.S.	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport 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%	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.
Work from home	17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Freeport 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	#4 of 133 in ME
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	RSU 05
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Freeport High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	12.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.