Compare towns
Hartford vs Plymouth vs Wilder vs Brattleboro
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%).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 24.6).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% 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 | Plymouth | Wilder | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,736 |
6,601 |
3,087Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9 11% above U.S. |
24.6±3.4Lowest 37% below U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 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% |
13.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest 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% |
12%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 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% |
54% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
33.7%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$77,027±$26k 5% below U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$292,400±$22k 12% below U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Hartford and Plymouth 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. |
$1,108±$255 22% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% 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. |
$6,288Highest 102% above U.S. |
$5,505Lowest 76% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.8%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest 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% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 30% below U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford 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 | #47 of 120 in NH | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | Plymouth Regional High School | — | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
12.8Highest |
— | 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.