What stands out worked out from the figures below

Essex Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).

Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Essex Junction	Brattleboro
People
Population	10,803Lowest	12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.2%Highest VT: +2.8%	+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±3.1Lowest 9% below VT	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT
	Brattleboro and Essex Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±3.2Highest VT: 17.9%	19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Essex Junction and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4%	25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±2.2Highest VT: 7%	4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Essex Junction and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,257±$16kHighest 10% above VT	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,500±$20kHighest 29% above VT	$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,544±$135Highest 25% above VT	$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,797Highest 35% above VT	$5,700Lowest 13% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.3%±14.5Highest VT: 48.4%	46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Essex Junction and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%	17.8%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 18% below VT	19 minLowest 19% below VT
Work from home	16.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Brattleboro and Essex Junction 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	#14 of 70 in VT	#33 of 70 in VT
School district	Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town	Essex High School	Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.