Compare towns
Marlboro vs Calais vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marlboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+59.7%).
Calais has the highest household income ($101k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% 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 | Marlboro | Calais | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,362Lowest |
1,713 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +59.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 22.7±2.1Lowest 47% below VT |
42±8.6 about the VT average |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.7% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 42.7%±4.8Highest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,135±$10k 5% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Calais and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,300±$55k 13% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
| Calais and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,600±$824Highest 30% above VT |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Marlboro and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,640Lowest 12% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±43.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 26% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 26%±11.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Marlboro and Calais 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 | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Marlboro School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.