Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Exeter vs Dummerston vs Guilford

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).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Guilford has the oldest population (median age 46.7).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroExeterDummerstonGuilford
People
Population
12,122
16,151Highest
2,090Lowest
2,461
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+12.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
0%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5Lowest
17% above U.S.
45.8±2.3
18% above U.S.
45.6±11.7Lowest
17% above U.S.
46.7±5.2Highest
20% above U.S.
Guilford and Exeter 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%
17%±2.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.7%±6Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.5%±4.9
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%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
24.4%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
24.3%±3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
27.6%±4Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Guilford and Brattleboro 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%
59.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
58.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
44.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.6%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
Exeter 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.
$110,346±$13kHighest
37% above U.S.
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
$75,243±$6k
7% below U.S.
Exeter 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.
$456,600±$21kHighest
37% above U.S.
$335,300±$22k
about the U.S. average
$312,600±$39k
6% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,856±$223Highest
31% above U.S.
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
$1,283±$273
9% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,700
83% above U.S.
$8,814Highest
183% above U.S.
$4,536Lowest
45% above U.S.
$5,827
87% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
59%±11.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±32.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±19.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Exeter 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%
4.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
69.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
80.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1979
1 yr older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1980Highest
same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
25 min
6% below U.S.
21 min
21% below U.S.
25 minHighest
5% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
19.9%±3.7
U.S.: 15.1%
25.9%±10.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.7%±5.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Dummerston and Exeter 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 #22 of 120 in NH — —
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School Exeter High School None in town None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
12.1Highest
— —
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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.