Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Rutland 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%).
Rutland has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Barre has the highest household income ($66k).
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 | Rutland | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,712Highest |
8,412Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Rutland 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% |
15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Rutland 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% |
26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland 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% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest 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±$8k 28% below VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Brattleboro 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 |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$995±$65Lowest 19% 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 |
$4,657Lowest 8% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rutland 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% |
15.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
54.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Highest 21 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 19% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Barre 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 | #51 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rutland City School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Rutland Senior High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.3Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.