Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Rochester 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Rochester | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,389Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Rochester 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 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest 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%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rochester 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$253,600±$81kLowest 20% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$929±$158Lowest 25% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.8% VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | — | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.