Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Keene vs Bennington
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Keene has the highest household income ($78k).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Keene | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Lowest |
22,939Highest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$78,445±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$252,500±$12k 24% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington 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% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 28% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Keene 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Keene School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Keene High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.