Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Fairfax
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 most homeowners (92.9%).
Fairfax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17%).
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 | Fairfax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090Lowest |
5,226 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston 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% |
49.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax 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±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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 |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
| Fairfax and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,080±$131 12% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,497 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest 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% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax and Dummerston 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fairfax School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 9.8Highest |
| 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.