Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Bow vs Dummerston

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroBowDummerston
People
Population
12,122Highest
8,335
2,090Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
41.5±2Lowest
7% above U.S.
45.6±11.7Highest
17% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.7%±6
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.5%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.3%±3
U.S.: 17.2%
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
U.S.: 35.7%
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
58.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow 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 U.S.
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18kLowest
23% below U.S.
$506,500±$34kHighest
52% above U.S.
$335,300±$22k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,539±$178Highest
9% above U.S.
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
Bow and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700
83% above U.S.
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$4,536Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±32.2
U.S.: 51.1%
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
U.S.: 12.5%
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1985Highest
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
27 minHighest
about the U.S. average
21 min
21% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
25.9%±10.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Dummerston and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH —
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Bow School District Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School Bow High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
12.8Highest
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On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.