Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Reading vs Morristown
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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Reading has the most homeowners (84.9%).
Morristown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Reading | Morristown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
699Lowest |
5,722 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
47.8±4.6 11% above VT |
| Reading and Morristown 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% |
11.5%±3Lowest 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%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±5.2Lowest 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% |
40.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Morristown 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 VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$66,273±$5k 18% below VT |
| Reading and Morristown 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$298,600±$48k 6% below VT |
| Reading and Morristown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
$1,214±$123Highest about the VT average |
| Morristown and Reading 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 |
$4,838Lowest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±12.7Lowest 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% |
9.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
11%±4.2Lowest 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 | — | #35 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Peoples Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 12.4Highest |
| 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.