Compare towns
Barre vs Dover vs Dummerston vs Bennington
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).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Dover | Dummerston | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
33,364Highest |
2,090Lowest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bennington 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% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Bennington 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Bennington 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Dover 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. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Dover and Dummerston 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Dover 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Dover School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7 |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.