Compare towns
Clarendon vs Waitsfield vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Waitsfield has the most people working from home (19%).
Brandon has the oldest housing (typical home built 1951).
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 | Clarendon | Waitsfield | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,460 |
1,918Lowest |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.3±4.1Highest 21% above VT |
44.3±5.3Lowest about the VT average |
50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
| Clarendon and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.8%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Waitsfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Waitsfield and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
63.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Waitsfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
$84,375±$34kHighest 4% above VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
| Waitsfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,900±$32kLowest 30% below VT |
$422,400±$92kHighest 33% above VT |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$305 11% below VT |
$1,200±$821Highest about the VT average |
$1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
| Waitsfield and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,740Lowest 26% below VT |
$6,208Highest 23% above VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±27.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.4%±30.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Clarendon and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 33% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield and Brandon 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 | — | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Mill River Union High School | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.4Lowest |
— | 9.9Highest |
| 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.