Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Hartford vs Pomfret vs White River Junction
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 most affordable homes ($257k median).
Pomfret has the most people working from home (30.3%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Hartford | Pomfret | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
10,736 |
908Lowest |
3,364 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
53.4±12.1Highest 24% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
| Pomfret and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pomfret 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% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
58%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±1.2 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Hartford 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 VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$84,229±$8kHighest 4% above VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Pomfret and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$399,200±$144kHighest 26% above VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Pomfret and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,170±$98 5% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
$6,722Highest 33% above VT |
$5,651Lowest 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
24%±22.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
5.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1970 6 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
30.3%±10.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Pomfret 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Hartford School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Hartford High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
9.6Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.