Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs Dummerston vs Royalton
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%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Castleton | Dummerston | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
2,752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4 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% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton 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±$18k 19% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
| Dummerston and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Dummerston and Castleton 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Highest |
— | — | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.