Compare towns
St. Albans vs Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Albans has the most renters (51% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | St. Albans | Bennington | Brattleboro | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,954 |
15,249Highest |
12,122 |
3,554Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.7±2Lowest 10% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±3.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Albans and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,980±$7k 29% below VT |
$59,446±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $263,400±$18kHighest 17% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| St. Albans and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$78Highest 7% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
| St. Albans and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,436Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.8%±11.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Albans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 4% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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 | #46 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.