Compare towns
Charleston vs Salisbury vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
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 | Charleston | Salisbury | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
1,200Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
50.6±6.5Lowest 17% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Salisbury and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Salisbury and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 25% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Salisbury and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 21% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Salisbury and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 12% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Charleston School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.