Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Chesterfield vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Chesterfield has the most expensive homes ($374k median).
Dummerston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Barre | Bennington | Chesterfield | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
3,622 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #52 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Chesterfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.