Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bennington vs Dummerston vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Bennington | Dummerston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,249Highest |
2,090Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | 10.7 |
| 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.