Compare towns
Leicester vs Sutton vs Walden vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($310k median).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 46.6).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Leicester | Sutton | Walden | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026 |
790Lowest |
1,037 |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10% VT: +2.8% |
-11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 13% above VT |
46.6±5.7Lowest 8% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
| Brandon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Walden and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30k 13% below VT |
$71,250±$18k 12% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
| Walden and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107kHighest about the VT average |
$231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
| Leicester and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300Highest 11% below VT |
— | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 24% below VT |
$3,975 21% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,241Highest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% VT: 10.1% |
12.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Leicester 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 | — | — | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.