Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Stowe 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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Hartford has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
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 | Stowe | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
5,285Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Stowe and Brattleboro 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Brattleboro 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% |
25.8%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Stowe 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Stowe and Hartford 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Stowe and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 13% above VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
19 minHighest 18% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe 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 | — | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Stowe Town School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Stowe High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.3Highest |
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.