Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Rochester 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Rochester | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,389Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Rochester 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester 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% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest 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 |
$72,676±$8kHighest 11% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Rochester 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±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | 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.