Compare towns
Walden vs Brandon vs Cabot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Cabot has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
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 | Walden | Brandon | Cabot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,037Lowest |
4,120Highest |
1,579 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
| Brandon and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cabot and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Brandon and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below VT |
$77,031±$16k 5% below VT |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$227,800±$23kLowest 28% below VT |
$268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
| Cabot and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
$1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
| Cabot and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,241 16% below VT |
$4,639Highest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
14.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
30 minHighest 27% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #69 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.