Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Mendon vs Ripton
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 renters (41.5% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Mendon has the oldest population (median age 53.4).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Mendon | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090 |
1,113 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest 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% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Mendon 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 VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton 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 19% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,230±$651 about the VT average |
— |
| Dummerston and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Mendon 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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 History | None yet | 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.