Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Durham vs Dummerston

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 affordable homes ($257k median).
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureBrattleboroDurhamDummerston
People
Population
12,122Highest
10,681
2,090Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.8%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
20.1±0.2Lowest
48% below U.S.
45.6±11.7Highest
17% above U.S.
Kids under 18
19%±2.8
U.S.: 22%
6.5%±2Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.7%±6Highest
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%
7.5%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
24.3%±3
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%
75.4%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
58.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
70.2%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$58,241±$8kLowest
28% below U.S.
$112,070±$25kHighest
39% above U.S.
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
Durham 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.
$498,000±$45kHighest
50% above U.S.
$335,300±$22k
about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,302±$211
8% below U.S.
$1,392±$126Highest
about the U.S. average
Dummerston and Durham 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.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
$4,536Lowest
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
55.4%±19.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±32.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Durham 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%
12.4%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
53.6%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1973Highest
7 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
21 minHighest
21% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
15.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
25.9%±10.3Highest
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 #9 of 120 in NH —
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 — Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0
— —
On TownTapestry
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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.