Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Needham
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%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
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 | Needham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090Lowest |
32,459Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest 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% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
| 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% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965 15 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 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.