Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Newfane vs Bennington vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Newfane | Bennington | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
1,456Lowest |
15,249Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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 |
$66,719±$21kHighest 18% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Newfane and Barre 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 |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Newfane and Brattleboro 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 |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Newfane and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Newfane 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% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
10.7 |
| 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.