Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dover vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 min average).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k median).
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 | Brattleboro | Dover | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657Highest |
1,466Lowest |
3,554 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Dover and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,734±$12kHighest 35% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$52,484±$11k 35% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 26% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67Highest 10% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490Highest 9% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 35% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Brattleboro 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.