Compare towns
Bristol vs Pawlet 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 renters (28.7% rent).
Pawlet has the most affordable homes ($266k 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 | Pawlet | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
1,480Lowest |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% VT: +2.8% |
-3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
47.9±7.5Lowest 11% 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% |
20.3%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet 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% |
27.3%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.5% VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Pawlet 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 |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% 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 |
$266,200±$44kLowest 16% 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 |
$1,153±$215Lowest 7% 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 |
$3,924Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,967 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Pawlet 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% |
10% VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
33 minHighest 40% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet 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 | Mettawee School District #84 | 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 History | 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.