Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Colchester 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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Colchester | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
17,648Highest |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Colchester 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% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Colchester 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 |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Colchester and Dummerston 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 |
$5,471 9% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Colchester 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% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
20 min 15% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Colchester School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Colchester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.8Highest |
— |
| 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.