Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Wolfeboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Brattleboro has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Wolfeboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Bennington | Brattleboro | Dummerston | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
6,571 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$94,375±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,531 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Wolfeboro 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.