Compare towns
Barton vs Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Wells River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
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 | Barton | Brattleboro | Dummerston | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
12,122Highest |
2,090 |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Barton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.