Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Williston vs Shaftsbury
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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Williston | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
10,144 |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
43±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Williston and Shaftsbury 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Shaftsbury 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
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| 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.