What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).

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	Freeport	Brattleboro
People
Population	8,802Lowest	12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 25% above U.S.	45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22%	19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	25.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S.	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.	$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average	$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Lowest 62% above U.S.	$5,700Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Freeport and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 11% below U.S.	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Freeport 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	#4 of 133 in ME	#33 of 70 in VT
School district	RSU 05	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town	Freeport High School	Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.