Compare towns
Barre vs Dummerston vs Sidney vs Brattleboro
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 affordable homes ($210k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
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 | Dummerston | Sidney | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,090Lowest |
4,790 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
43±5.5 11% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney 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% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest 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% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro 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. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Sidney 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. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,340±$304 5% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Sidney 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. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest 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% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 18 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Highest |
— | — | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.