Compare towns
Wilder vs Brattleboro vs Cambridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Brattleboro has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Cambridge has the most expensive homes ($343k 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 | Wilder | Brattleboro | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,087Lowest |
12,122Highest |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
37.4±1.8Lowest 13% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
50.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$72,344±$19k 11% below VT |
| Wilder and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$343,000±$38kHighest 8% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,142±$451 7% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
| Cambridge and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,505 9% above VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,910Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
66.6%±7.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
70.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 29% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Wilder 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 | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.