Compare towns
Brattleboro vs White River Junction vs Barre vs Bennington
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%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
3,364Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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 |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| White River Junction and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| White River Junction and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,651 12% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
50.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1963Highest 13 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 19% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and White River Junction 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 | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.