Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Waterbury vs Wilder
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 renters (41.5% rent).
Waterbury has the most expensive homes ($447k median).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Waterbury | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
5,405 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.3% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Wilder 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% |
21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterbury 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% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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% |
54.2% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
| Waterbury and Wilder 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 |
$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
| Wilder 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 |
$6,435Highest 28% above VT |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Waterbury 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% |
7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.