Compare towns
Barre vs Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Mapleton
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).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Brattleboro | Dummerston | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
12,122Highest |
2,090 |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mapleton and Brattleboro 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. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.