Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Dummerston vs Wolcott vs Bennington
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 highest household income ($102k).
Wolcott has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 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 | Wolcott | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
2,090 |
1,507Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.4±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott 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% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,059±$118Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Bennington 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Wolcott 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 |
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.