Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs New Hampton 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 the oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
New Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k 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.

MeasureBrattleboroDummerstonNew HamptonBennington
People
Population
12,122
2,090Lowest
2,509
15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+9.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
45.6±11.7
17% above U.S.
51.7±2.7Highest
33% above U.S.
44.7±2.3Lowest
15% above U.S.
New Hampton and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
19%±2.8
U.S.: 22%
21.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.8%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
25.5%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.3%±3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.8%±5
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
Brattleboro and Bennington 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%
32.1%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%
4.2%±1.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington and New Hampton 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.
$95,250±$35k
18% above U.S.
$59,446±$7k
26% below U.S.
Dummerston and New Hampton 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±$22k
about the U.S. average
$383,700±$37kHighest
15% above U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
New Hampton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58
24% below U.S.
$1,392±$126Highest
about the U.S. average
$749±$433Lowest
47% 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.
$4,973
59% above U.S.
$4,513Lowest
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%
21.3%±21.6Lowest
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%
13.2%
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%
87.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1989Highest
9 yrs newer 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.
33 minHighest
23% above 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%
11.9%±3.9Lowest
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 — — #58 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Newfound Area 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.