Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Thornton
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 kids (21.7% under 18).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Thornton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
2,090Lowest |
2,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Thornton 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% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest 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%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Lowest 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%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thornton 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±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$90,022±$17k 12% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Thornton 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 |
$351,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Thornton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,270±$428 10% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,032 61% 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% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton 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% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton 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 | — | #18 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Thornton 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 |
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.