Compare towns
Royalton vs Wilder vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
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 | Royalton | Wilder | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,752 |
3,087Highest |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Royalton and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
$75,143±$9kLowest 7% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Royalton and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,040±$391 16% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,675 7% below VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.5% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 11 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 13% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.8%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree and Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | White River Valley High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — |
| 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.