Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Nelson vs Barre
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Nelson | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
648Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Nelson 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Brattleboro 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% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Nelson 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% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Nelson School District | 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 |
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.