Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Hanover vs Dummerston vs Bennington
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% 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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Hanover | Dummerston | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122 |
8,479 |
2,090Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 28% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | — | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.