Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Middlesex vs Ripton vs Brattleboro
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%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 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 | Middlesex | Ripton | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,943 |
508Lowest |
7,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.1 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%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.8%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
47.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below VT |
| Ripton and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$234,600±$20kLowest 26% below VT |
| Ripton 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±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— | $1,113±$67 10% below VT |
| Middlesex and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,490 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±5.1Lowest 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 | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.