Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Portsmouth 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 most kids (19% under 18).
Portsmouth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Portsmouth | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Lowest |
22,545Highest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest 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% |
64%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 U.S. |
$106,219±$7kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,869±$111Highest 32% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$8,018Highest 157% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Portsmouth 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 16% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Portsmouth School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Portsmouth High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.4 |
14.7Highest |
| 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.