Compare towns
Braintree vs Dummerston vs Westford
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).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.6%).
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 | Dummerston | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
2,090 |
2,290Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
44.1±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Westford 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% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
52.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kLowest about the VT average |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$112,750±$12kHighest 39% above VT |
| Westford and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford 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 |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$6,282Highest 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dummerston and Braintree 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% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Westford 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 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.