Compare towns

Brattleboro vs Leyden vs Bennington 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1955).
Leyden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).

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.

MeasureBrattleboroLeydenBenningtonDummerston
People
Population
12,122
637Lowest
15,249Highest
2,090
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
53.2±8.2Highest
37% above U.S.
44.7±2.3Lowest
15% above U.S.
45.6±11.7
17% above U.S.
Leyden 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%
13.8%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3
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%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
28.6%±2.7Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
24.3%±3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Leyden 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%
40%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
58.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
0.5%±2.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.3%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
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 U.S.
$105,893±$13kHighest
31% above U.S.
$59,446±$7k
26% below U.S.
$101,696±$21k
26% above U.S.
Leyden 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±$18k
23% below U.S.
$372,900±$24kHighest
12% above U.S.
$213,300±$15kLowest
36% below U.S.
$335,300±$22k
about the U.S. average
Leyden 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.
$1,917±$451Highest
36% above U.S.
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
$1,392±$126
about the U.S. average
Leyden and Dummerston 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.
$4,651
49% above U.S.
$4,513Lowest
45% above U.S.
$4,536
45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
42.9%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
68.8%±14.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
44.1%±32.2
U.S.: 51.1%
Bennington 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%
10.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
93.4%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
92.9%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
28% below U.S.
33 minHighest
23% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
21 min
21% below U.S.
Work from home
17.9%±4
U.S.: 15.1%
11%±5Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4
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 — #58 of 70 in VT —
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 — Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town Brattleboro Union High School — Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
9.0Lowest
—
14.7Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 6 photos → 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.