Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Bolton vs Dummerston
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 most renters (41.5% rent).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
Dummerston has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
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 | Bolton | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,163Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+10.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
36.3±1.7Lowest 16% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.9%±4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest 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% |
6.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.4% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Bolton 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 |
$111,125±$17kHighest 37% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
| Bolton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$311,600±$42k about the VT average |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Bolton 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 |
$1,299±$273 5% above VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,826 4% below VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
28%±30.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston 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% |
2.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.6% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
28 minHighest 17% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Bolton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.