Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Tunbridge 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 the oldest population (median age 45.6).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Tunbridge | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,253Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Tunbridge 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% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Tunbridge 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% |
42.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Tunbridge 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 |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Tunbridge 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±$18k 19% below VT |
$315,300±$23kHighest about the VT average |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,645Lowest 8% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge 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% |
14.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
84.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | 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.