Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Middlesex vs Upton 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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Middlesex | Upton | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
1,943Lowest |
8,189 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Upton 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 23% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Upton 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.