Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dover vs Bennington vs Barre
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 kids (19% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Dover | Bennington | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
1,466Lowest |
15,249Highest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Dover and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Brattleboro 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% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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±$8k 28% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Bennington 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 |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.