Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Lancaster 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Lancaster has the oldest housing (typical home built 1942).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Lancaster | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
3,216 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9 17% 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% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Lancaster 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% 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% |
2.9%±2.2 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±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Lancaster 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±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$215,700±$24k 35% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,513 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% |
36.1%±17Lowest 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% |
16.7% 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% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older 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. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | White Mountains Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.