Compare towns
White River Junction vs Wilder vs Brattleboro vs Hartford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Hartford has the most expensive homes ($305k 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 | White River Junction | Wilder | Brattleboro | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,364 |
3,087Lowest |
12,122Highest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Brattleboro and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| White River Junction and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,651 12% above VT |
$5,505Lowest 9% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
19 minHighest 19% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and White River Junction 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 | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Brattleboro Union High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0Lowest |
9.6Highest |
| 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.