Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dover vs Newfane
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%).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,466 |
1,456Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
| Newfane and Dover 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% |
11.1%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Newfane 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% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Dover 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 |
$66,719±$21kHighest 18% below VT |
| Newfane 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±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$284,200±$49k 10% below VT |
| Dover and Newfane 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 |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane 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 |
$5,174 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Newfane 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% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Dover 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.