Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Leyden 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 most people working from home (17.9%).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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.

MeasureBrattleboroLeydenBennington
People
Population
12,122
637Lowest
15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
53.2±8.2Highest
37% above U.S.
44.7±2.3Lowest
15% above U.S.
Leyden 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%
13.8%±3.6Lowest
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%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
28.6%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Leyden 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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
40%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
0.5%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington 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 U.S.
$105,893±$13kHighest
31% above U.S.
$59,446±$7k
26% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18k
23% below U.S.
$372,900±$24kHighest
12% above U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,917±$451Highest
36% above U.S.
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700Highest
83% above U.S.
$4,651
49% above U.S.
$4,513Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±100Lowest
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%
10.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
33 minHighest
23% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
11%±5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Brattleboro and Bennington 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 — #58 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 — Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School — Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
—
14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.