Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Lowell
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 most affordable homes ($257k median).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Lowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
118,368Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30%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% |
9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Dummerston and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lowell 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% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | — | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Lowell |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.