Compare towns
Hartford vs Windsor vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Windsor | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736 |
3,554Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Hartford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Hartford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,209Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Hartford School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | — | 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 |
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.