What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

South Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brattleboro	South Berwick
People
Population	12,122Highest	7,670Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S.	39±2.5Lowest about the U.S. average
	Brattleboro and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22%
	South Berwick and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	South Berwick 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 U.S.	$99,572±$13kHighest 23% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S.	$428,300±$26kHighest 29% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,726±$83Highest 22% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Highest 83% above U.S.	$4,956Lowest 59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	53.5%±24.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	South Berwick 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 U.S.: 12.5%	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.6%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brattleboro and South Berwick 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	#58 of 133 in ME
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Marshwood High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	13.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.