Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Lyme
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 renters (41.5% rent).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k 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 | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Lyme 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% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Lyme 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. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Lyme 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 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
| Lyme and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.