Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Kittery vs Williston 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 the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Kittery has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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.

MeasureBrattleboroKitteryWillistonBennington
People
Population
12,122
10,473
10,144Lowest
15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
46.8±2.3Highest
20% above U.S.
45.4±4.5
17% above U.S.
44.7±2.3Lowest
15% above U.S.
Kittery and Brattleboro 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%
14.7%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3
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%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
26.9%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Kittery 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
46%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.5%±1.5
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington and Williston 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.
$93,728±$14k
16% above U.S.
$106,967±$12kHighest
32% above U.S.
$59,446±$7k
26% below U.S.
Williston and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18k
23% below U.S.
$468,500±$31k
41% above U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
Williston and Kittery 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.
$1,716±$224
21% above U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
Williston and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700Highest
83% above U.S.
$4,518
45% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$4,513Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
38.8%±14.9Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
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%
6.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1965
15 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
20 minHighest
24% below U.S.
20 min
25% below U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±7.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Kittery 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 #17 of 133 in ME #11 of 70 in VT #58 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Kittery Public Schools Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School Robert W Traip Academy None in town Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
9.9
—
14.7Highest
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.