Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Mapleton vs Williston vs Hartford
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 renters (41.5% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Williston | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,884Lowest |
10,144 |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Williston 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Williston 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
| Williston and Mapleton 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. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,773Highest 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 9.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.