Compare towns
Bristol vs New Haven vs Waltham
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 renters (28.7% rent).
New Haven has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
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 | New Haven | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,792 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
48±3.9 11% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| New Haven and Bristol 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% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and New Haven 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 |
$379,300±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$329,700±$51kLowest 4% 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 |
$1,163±$143 6% below VT |
$1,096±$113Lowest 11% 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 |
$5,967 18% above VT |
$5,714Lowest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham and Bristol 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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | 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.