Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Kennebunk vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
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 | Kennebunk | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
11,820 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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 U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk 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±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$487,700±$21kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,425±$290Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Kennebunk and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,999 60% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | — | #9 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | RSU 21 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.6 |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.