Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Richmond vs White River Junction 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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Richmond has the most homeowners (78.8%).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
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 | Richmond | White River Junction | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,159 |
3,364Lowest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.1% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.7±5.6 about the VT average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% 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% |
21.5%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Richmond and Williston 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% |
19.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
59.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$108,235±$24kHighest 33% above VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
| Richmond and Williston 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 |
$432,200±$39k 37% above VT |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Williston and Richmond 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 |
— | $1,222±$216 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
$5,592Lowest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
28.5%±15.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
78.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Richmond and Williston 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 | #5 of 70 in VT | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | — | 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 |
— | — | — |
| 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.