Compare towns
Guilford vs Bennington vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guilford has the most homeowners (80.1%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Guilford | Bennington | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,461Lowest |
15,249Highest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2Highest 8% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Guilford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6kHighest 7% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Guilford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Guilford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Guilford 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.