Compare towns
Bristol vs Brighton vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
New Haven has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Bristol | Brighton | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,167Lowest |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
45.2±11.6Lowest 5% above VT |
48±3.9Highest 11% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brighton and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$92,321±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$379,300±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,163±$143 6% below VT |
| Bristol and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$5,967 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and New Haven 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Brighton School District | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.