Compare towns
Bloomfield vs Dover vs Sheffield vs Hyde Park
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bloomfield has the most kids (27.4% under 18).
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Hyde Park has the highest household income ($90k).
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 | Bloomfield | Dover | Sheffield | Hyde Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 234Lowest |
1,466Highest |
573 |
513 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 41.9±12Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
42.6±10.1 about the VT average |
| Dover and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±14.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Bloomfield and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±8 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Bloomfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.7% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,375±$17k 33% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$58,333±$26k 28% below VT |
$89,946±$10kHighest 11% above VT |
| Hyde Park and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$63k 40% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$221,800±$57k 30% below VT |
| Dover and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
$1,306±$285Highest 6% above VT |
| Hyde Park and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,800 44% below VT |
$4,510Highest 10% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$3,893 23% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2% VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 28% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 4.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7 VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Hyde Park 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 | — | — | — | #59 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.