Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Fairlee
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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Fairlee has the oldest population (median age 63.5).
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 | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090 |
54Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest 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% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee 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% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$277,500±$28k 12% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
— |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Fairlee 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 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | 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.