Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Kingston vs Barre

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 kids (19% under 18).
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k 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.

MeasureBrattleboroKingstonBarre
People
Population
12,122Highest
6,275Lowest
8,412
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+2.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-6.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
55.5±5.7Highest
43% above U.S.
42.2±6.6Lowest
8% above U.S.
Kingston 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
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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%
24.7%±6
U.S.: 17.2%
19.4%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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%
35.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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.
$105,330±$12kHighest
30% above U.S.
$65,625±$7k
19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18k
23% below U.S.
$492,900±$58kHighest
48% above U.S.
$210,400±$15kLowest
37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,393±$156Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,093±$58
23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700
83% above U.S.
$7,906Highest
153% above U.S.
$5,192Lowest
66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±46.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.4%±10.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
17.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
74.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955
25 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
34 minHighest
29% above U.S.
19 minLowest
30% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.7%±4.3
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brattleboro and Kingston 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 #78 of 120 in NH #19 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Sanborn Regional School District Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School Sanborn Regional High School Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
12.9Highest
10.7
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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.