Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Putney vs Williston
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).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Putney | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,622Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston 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 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,313Lowest 5% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
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| 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.