What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sullivan has the most homeowners (85.2%).

Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sullivan	Brattleboro
People
Population	1,246Lowest	12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±15Highest 21% above U.S.	45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Sullivan and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sullivan and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,643±$14kHighest 26% below U.S.	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S.
	Sullivan and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$222,000±$33kLowest 33% below U.S.	$257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S.
	Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$883±$114Lowest 38% below U.S.	$1,074±$58Highest 24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,228Lowest 29% below U.S.	$5,700Highest 83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.9%±23.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	19 minLowest 28% below U.S.
Work from home	12.6%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brattleboro and Sullivan 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	RSU 24	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town	Sumner Memorial High School	Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5Highest	9.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.