Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bennington vs Dummerston vs Hartford
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
15,249Highest |
2,090Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest 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 |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 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% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% 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% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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 |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% 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%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 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% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
18 min 22% 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% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest 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 | — | #34 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 | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | 9.6 |
| 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.