Compare towns
Manchester vs Bristol vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Manchester has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Bristol has the youngest population (median age 47.9).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Manchester | Bristol | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,486Highest |
3,778 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.5±6.3 26% above VT |
47.9±4.8Lowest 11% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Manchester and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,886±$23kHighest 17% above VT |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $454,600±$47kHighest 44% above VT |
$337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,057±$76Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
— |
| Bristol and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,923 18% above VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±13.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Manchester and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 39% below VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.1%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Manchester 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 | #37 of 70 in VT | #31 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.