Compare towns
Bedford vs Brattleboro 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
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
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 | Bedford | Brattleboro | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bedford and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 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+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Dummerston 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Bedford School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.