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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Dummerston | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| 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.

