Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Reading 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 the most kids (19% under 18).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Reading | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
699Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Reading and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Reading 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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 |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Reading 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Reading and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading 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% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 10.7Highest |
| 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.