Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Randolph vs Colchester vs Hartford
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).
Colchester has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Randolph | Colchester | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
4,843Lowest |
17,648Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
40.4±7.4 6% below VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
17.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester 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% |
22.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Randolph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5Highest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Randolph and Colchester 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 |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,172±$173 5% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$4,698Lowest 7% below VT |
$5,471 9% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Randolph 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% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.2% VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
21 minHighest 12% below VT |
20 min 15% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester 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 | #55 of 70 in VT | #18 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Colchester School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Randolph Union High School | Colchester High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
9.4 |
11.8Highest |
9.6 |
| 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.