Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Windsor vs Williston vs Barre
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 oldest population (median age 45.6).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Windsor | Williston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
3,554Lowest |
10,144 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
42.2±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%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Windsor 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% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 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±$8k 28% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.