Compare towns
Middlefield vs Brattleboro vs Becket
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Becket has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Middlefield | Brattleboro | Becket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
12,122Highest |
1,962 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 46% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
49.6±4.7 28% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlefield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$80,417±$29k about the U.S. average |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48k about the U.S. average |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$361,000±$82kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Becket and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 86% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$2,107±$1k 49% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926 58% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$3,047Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro and Becket 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 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.