Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Springfield vs Hartford
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 people working from home (17.9%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Springfield | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
9,084Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Hartford 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 |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Brattleboro 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 |
$4,807Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield 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% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Springfield High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
14.3Highest |
9.6 |
| 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.