Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Middlesex vs Mount Tabor vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Mount Tabor has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Middlesex | Mount Tabor | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,943 |
304Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Mount Tabor 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex 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 VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
— | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Mount Tabor and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,233 4% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.3% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.