Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Plainfield vs Putney
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 people working from home (25.9%).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090Lowest |
2,522 |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5 about the U.S. average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield 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% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% 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% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield 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 |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Plainfield 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. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% 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% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% 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. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Plainfield 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 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Plainfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.