Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Montpelier vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Montpelier has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Montpelier | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
8,014 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42.3±2.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Montpelier 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 VT: 43.8% |
66.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Montpelier 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 |
$81,030±$6k about the VT average |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$375,100±$21kHighest 18% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Montpelier 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 13% below VT |
$1,302±$113 6% above VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Montpelier are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$6,936Highest 38% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston 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% |
6.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5% VT: 73.2% |
53.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
18 minLowest 23% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.9%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Montpelier 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 | #9 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | Montpelier High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.