Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Dover

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).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroDummerstonDover
People
Population
12,122Highest
2,090
1,466Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
VT: +2.8%
+0.1%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+60%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
45.6±4.5Lowest
6% above VT
45.6±11.7Lowest
6% above VT
53.5±8.3Highest
24% above VT
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%
21.7%±6Highest
VT: 17.9%
10.2%±5.7Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Dummerston 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%
24.3%±3Lowest
VT: 21.4%
29.5%±6.2Highest
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%
58.7%Highest
VT: 43.8%
48.9%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6Highest
VT: 7%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
2.5%±2.9
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
$101,696±$21kHighest
25% above VT
$52,313±$7kLowest
36% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$257,300±$18kLowest
19% below VT
$335,300±$22kHighest
6% above VT
$332,900±$55k
5% above VT
Dummerston and Dover 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
$1,392±$126Highest
13% above VT
$670±$49Lowest
46% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700Highest
13% above VT
$4,536
10% below VT
$4,510Lowest
10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6Highest
VT: 48.4%
44.1%±32.2
VT: 48.4%
38.1%±17.2Lowest
VT: 48.4%
Brattleboro and Dummerston 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%
4.5%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
7.3%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
92.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
81.1%
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
21 yrs older than VT
1971
5 yrs older than VT
1984Highest
8 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
19% below VT
21 min
11% below VT
22 minHighest
6% below VT
Work from home
17.9%±4Lowest
VT: 16.9%
25.9%±10.3Highest
VT: 16.9%
23.2%±11.1
VT: 16.9%
Dummerston 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 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 River Valleys Unified School District #73
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 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.