Median Income
$54,700
household / year
Median Home Value
$202,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,061
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Brandon, VT a Good Place to Live?

Brandon is a small town of 1,858 in Vermont, with a median household income of $54,700 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Brandon stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Brandon is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Brandon city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 96.9

Brandon's overall cost of living index is 96.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Brandon costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Brandon, VT National Avg
Median Home Value $202,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,061 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 76.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $54,700 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Brandon's violent crime rate is 219.5 per 100,000 residents — 42% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
219.5 /100k
Property Crime
1097.3 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Brandon is served primarily by Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Brandon, VT National Avg
School District Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Brandon sees average highs of 30.7°F in January and 83.9°F in July, with 41.2 inches of annual precipitation and 72.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricBrandon, VT
Average High — January30.7°F
Average High — July83.9°F
Annual Precipitation41.2"
Annual Snowfall72.7"

Demographics

MetricBrandon, VTNational Avg
Population1,858—
Median Age49.138.9
Unemployment Rate1.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)88.9%59.3%
Black or African American2.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.8%18.9%
Asian2.0%6.3%
Under 1826.4%22.2%
65 and over26.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Pittsford, VT 8 mi Proctor, VT 10 mi Chittenden, VT 10 mi East Middlebury, VT 11 mi Benson, VT 13 mi

ZIP Codes in Brandon

Brandon, VT is covered by 1 ZIP code:

05733

Brandon vs Other Cities

Brandon, VT vs Pittsford, VT Brandon, VT vs Proctor, VT Brandon, VT vs Chittenden, VT Brandon, VT vs East Middlebury, VT Brandon, VT vs Benson, VT

Frequently Asked Questions

Brandon's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Brandon roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $202,000 and median rent is $1,061/month.
Brandon's violent crime rate is 219.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1097.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Brandon are operated by Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53. The district has 3 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.0:1. 32.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Brandon, VT has a population of 1,858, a median household income of $54,700, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Brandon averages 30.7°F in January and 83.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 41.2 inches with about 72.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Brandon, VT is covered by 1 ZIP code: 05733.
The population of Brandon, Vermont is 1,858 with a median age of 49.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Brandon: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $202,000, median household income $54,700, crime index 56 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Brandon side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.