Compare towns
Hartford vs Henniker vs Brattleboro vs Wilder
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 most homeowners (67.8%).
Henniker has the youngest population (median age 31.1).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Henniker | Brattleboro | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
6,197 |
12,122Highest |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+27.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
31.1±6.1Lowest 20% below U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Wilder 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% |
15.3%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
16.5%±6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilder and Brattleboro 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% |
41.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
27%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7k 3% below U.S. |
$95,206±$21kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Henniker and Hartford 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. |
$356,700±$49kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Henniker and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,081±$164 23% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773 85% above U.S. |
$8,877Highest 185% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs 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 min 30% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 23% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Henniker 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 | #56 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | Henniker School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.