Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Wilder 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%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Hartford has the most expensive homes ($305k 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 | Wilder | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
3,087Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Hartford 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 |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford 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 |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and Wilder 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 |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Wilder 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 |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 19% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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 | — | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 9.6Highest |
| 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.