Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dover vs Brattleboro
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 highest household income ($58k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Brattleboro has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,466Lowest |
7,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
44.3±5.9Lowest 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%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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% |
24.8%±4.2Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro 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±$8kHighest 28% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$52,734±$12k 35% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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 |
$234,600±$20kLowest 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,113±$67Highest 10% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro 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 |
$5,490 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8% VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±5.1Lowest 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.