Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Calais vs Dummerston vs Ferrisburgh
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).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Ferrisburgh has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Calais | Dummerston | Ferrisburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
2,661 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-4.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
45.5±4.9 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
23.3%±3.8 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% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
51.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.8 VT: 7% |
| Calais 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 |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$106,989±$22kHighest 32% above VT |
| Ferrisburgh 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 |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$422,700±$35kHighest 34% above VT |
| Ferrisburgh and Calais 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 |
$1,408±$392 14% above VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,435±$173Highest 16% above VT |
| Ferrisburgh and Calais 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,120 21% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
57%±19.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ferrisburgh and Calais 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1968 8 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | — | #7 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.