Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Panton vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Panton has the most expensive homes ($438k median).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | Panton | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
690 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
42.7±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
24.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Panton 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% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Waltham 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 |
$86,667±$10k 7% above VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Panton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$438,000±$40kHighest 38% above VT |
$329,700±$51k 4% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,410±$130Highest 14% above VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 13% above VT |
$6,695Highest 33% above VT |
$5,714 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
61%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Panton and Brattleboro 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% |
3.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±8.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Panton and Waltham 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.