Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Brandon grades C− overall, 58th among Vermont's 71 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 15 miles of trail. On the other side, its public schools trail 87% of Vermont towns on state tests and graduation. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 98% of U.S. towns, with 5 places on the National Register. Brandon's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 93% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Forestdale Iron Furnace and Sanderson Covered Bridge. Brandon’s median age is 50.1 years, where Vermont’s towns sit at 43.7 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years.
Where Brandon beats most towns.
Census counts: 637 in 1790, 4,129 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1810 and 5 maps from 1902 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Vermont), ordered by how far Brandon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Brandon, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Brandon.
Brandon gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
Its public schools are run by the Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Otter Valley Union High School, with 487 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neshobe SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 387 | D− |
| Otter Valley Union High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 487 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VT on state tests and graduation
Most working residents leave Brandon for work: only 17% work in town. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in Brandon. The top destinations are Middlebury (19%), Rutland (13%) and Rutland (4%).
| Brandon | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 16% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Brandon home is worth about $302,000, up 2.2% in a year, 23% below the Vermont typical home. 84% of Brandon households own their home.
| Brandon | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,064 a month | $1,137 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The biggest park or preserve is Brandon Town Forest, at 285 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Moosalamoo National Recreation Area | 0.9 mi | 87 |
| 2. Brandon Town Forest | — | 285 |
| 3. High Pond Natural Area | — | 177 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The Chittenden weather station, 9 miles away, records that 83 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 95% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 81.7°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 90% of Vermont places with climate records; January nights average 9.8°.
Brandon has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Among 71 Vermont towns, just 7 have a higher July high than Brandon. The January low in Brandon is 10°F.
| Brandon | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 10°F | 9°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 80°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 65% of U.S. communities. Since 1984, 13 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Brandon.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 9,758 U.S. towns with household incomes like Brandon’s, it is healthier than 84%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income. Within Vermont it is less healthy than 81% of the 71 graded towns: Vermont sets a high bar.
Brandon beats the Vermont average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 14. Among 71 Vermont towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Brandon.
| Brandon | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 32% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 30% | 35% |
| What stands out | Brandon | VT |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.5% | 10.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Reported crimes fell from 62 to 40 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Brandon’s property crime rate is 8.7 per 1,000 residents.
| Brandon | Vermont towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.7 per 1,000 residents | 14.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1 per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Brandon. Close and well known come first.
Big draw16 mi LandmarkFort Ticonderoga
27 mi LakeLake George
19 mi Ski areaKillington Resort184 runs · 3,031 ft vertical
10 mi National forestGreen Mountain National Forest
25 mi Ski areaSugarbush Resort142 runs · 2,569 ft vertical
16 mi LandmarkFort CarillonFort Ticonderoga: Mwanner, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake George: Sixlocal, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Killington Resort: NHRHS2010, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Green Mountain National Forest: Brian W. Schaller, FAL · Sugarbush Resort: Mrtrek1701 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Carillon: Charny, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Brandon
About 3 of every 100 Brandon residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Vermont.
Where Brandon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 places in Brandon on the National Register of Historic Places.
12 notable people were born in Brandon.
Town in Vermont, United States
Brandon is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,129.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Brandon.
| Town | VT rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon | #58 | C− | C− | B− | D | B |
| Pittsford | #40 | B− | B | A+ | D | B |
| Goshen | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leicester | — | — | B− | — | D | B+ |
| Chittenden | — | — | C− | — | D | A− |
| Sudbury | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Leicester and Chittenden have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Leicester and Chittenden report no FBI crime data of their own. Goshen and Sudbury aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Brandon with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Brandon grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #58 of 71 in Vermont. It grades B for health, B− for safety and D for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D.
Yes. That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($68,616 across the Rutland, VT area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
12 notable people were born here, including Stephen A. Douglas and John G. Sawyer.
