Compare towns
Braintree vs Brookfield vs Calais vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Braintree | Brookfield | Calais | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,486 |
1,713 |
2,090Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
47±5.9 9% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.