Compare towns
Athens vs Dummerston vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Brookline has the youngest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Athens | Dummerston | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,090Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT |
| Athens and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.