The Town FilesBradford, Vermont
Town in Orange County · population 2,790 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $258,600
- Household income
- $108,162
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 42.7
Bradford is a town of 2,790 people in Orange County, Vermont. The median home is worth $258,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks more walkable than 83% of Vermont towns, better for retirees than 80% of Vermont towns, hipper than 73% of Vermont towns.
How Bradford ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bradford is worth $258,600, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $108,162, which is more affordable than 98% of Vermont towns. Median rent is $1,221 a month. 87.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bradford | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $258,600 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | $1,221 | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $108,162 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 87.1% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.1% | — |
Who lives in Bradford
| People | Bradford | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.2% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.5% | 89.3% |
Weather in Bradford
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 4.2°F. About 43.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 65.7 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 11, 1966 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 1973.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 24, 1998.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4720: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3595: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 7,898 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,315 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Bradford itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Bradford
3 public schools with 597 students, about 9.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxbow Union High School | 7-12 | 357 | 11.2 |
| Bradford Elementary School | PK-6 | 240 | 11.4 |
| River Bend Career & Technical Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Bradford
- Haverhill, NH8.8 mi · 4,585 people · home $247,900
- Thetford, VT12.9 mi · 2,775 people · home $329,500
- Norwich, VT18.2 mi · 3,612 people · home $637,500
- Barre, VT19.7 mi · 7,923 people · home $281,400
- Hanover, NH20.2 mi · 11,870 people · home $824,900
- Williamstown, VT20.2 mi · 3,515 people · home $234,900
- Hanover, NH21.5 mi · 9,078 people · home $842,600
- Barre, VT21.6 mi · 8,491 people · home $210,400
Bradford questions
Is Bradford, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bradford scores better for retirees than 80% of Vermont towns and quieter than 42%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.7).
How much does a house cost in Bradford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bradford is valued at $258,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,162, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,221 a month.
What is the weather like in Bradford?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows 4.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.1 inches of precipitation a year and 65.7 inches of snow.
Does Bradford get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 11, 1966. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)