Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Hanover vs Hartford vs Williston
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Hanover | Hartford | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
11,685 |
10,736 |
10,144Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Williston 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% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest 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% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and Williston 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #34 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Hartford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Hanover High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.7Highest |
9.6 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.