What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).

Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bethel	Dorset
People
Population	1,736Lowest	2,092Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+5%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	50.7±3.7Highest 18% above VT	45.9±7.5Lowest 6% above VT
	Bethel and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9%	24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4%	21.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bethel and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%	72.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	2.8%±2.1Highest VT: 7%
	Dorset and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT	$111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT
	Dorset and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT	$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,335±$220Lowest 8% above VT	$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT
	Dorset and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,168Lowest about the VT average	$7,489Highest 49% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54%±22Lowest VT: 48.4%	74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4%
	Dorset and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	11.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.6%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT	1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 19% above VT	22 minLowest 8% below VT
Work from home	7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9%	29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
School district	White River Unified School District #79	Taconic and Green Regional School District #63
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.