Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Castleton vs Dummerston vs Tunbridge
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).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Tunbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
4,453 |
2,090 |
1,253Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest 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 |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Tunbridge 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% |
20.9%±1.6 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% |
42.9% 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% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$89,464±$26k 10% above VT |
| Dummerston and Tunbridge 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 |
$315,300±$23k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Tunbridge 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 |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,346±$128 9% above VT |
| Dummerston and Tunbridge 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 |
$4,645 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Castleton 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% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Tunbridge 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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.