Compare towns
Webster vs Brattleboro vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Webster | Brattleboro | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
12,122 |
9,207Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Webster and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6k 10% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$152,267±$10kHighest 89% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 9% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$470,600±$29kHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 13% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$6,338Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Douglas 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #33 of 70 in VT | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Douglas |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
9.0 |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.