Compare towns
Readfield vs Brattleboro vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Manchester has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Readfield | Brattleboro | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,651 |
12,122Highest |
2,424Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
46.9±4.6 21% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$92,031±$16kHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Manchester and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,400±$20kHighest about the U.S. average |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$299,600±$40k 10% below U.S. |
| Readfield and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$844Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$993±$116Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Readfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,392Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$3,486 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.9%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Brattleboro 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | RSU 38 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.