Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k 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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford 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 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford 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 VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford 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 |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
| Dummerston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Strafford 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% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Strafford 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 |
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.