Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Williston vs Sullivan vs Bennington

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Sullivan has the most homeowners (93.6%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroWillistonSullivanBennington
People
Population
12,122
10,144
687Lowest
15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.8%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
45.4±4.5
17% above U.S.
46.6±6.5Highest
20% above U.S.
44.7±2.3Lowest
15% above U.S.
Sullivan and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±2.8
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Williston 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
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
20.5%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
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%
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
28.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington and Williston 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 U.S.
$106,967±$12kHighest
32% above U.S.
$106,667±$20k
32% above U.S.
$59,446±$7k
26% below U.S.
Williston and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18k
23% below U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$236,500±$29k
29% below U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,225±$275
13% below U.S.
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700Highest
83% above U.S.
$5,592
79% above U.S.
$5,099
63% above U.S.
$4,513Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±84.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
68.8%±14.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.6%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
20 min
25% below U.S.
32 minHighest
22% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
4.2%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
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 — #58 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 — Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School None in town — Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
— —
14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.