Compare towns
Hartford vs Exeter vs Brattleboro vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Waterbury has the most people working from home (28.3%).
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 | Hartford | Exeter | Brattleboro | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
16,151Highest |
12,122 |
5,405Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 14% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waterbury and Exeter 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Exeter High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
12.1Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.