Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Barre vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the most homeowners (83.6%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Chesterfield | Barre | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,622Lowest |
8,412Highest |
7,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,324±$1kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,113±$67 21% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$5,192Lowest 66% above U.S. |
$5,490 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.1%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1947 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Chesterfield School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.