Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Underhill vs Dorset
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).
Underhill has the youngest population (median age 38.1).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Underhill | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
3,141 |
2,092Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
38.1±11.4Lowest 12% below VT |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
27.8%±10.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Underhill and Dorset 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% |
17.6%±6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dorset 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% |
50.1% VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±2 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Underhill 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 |
$92,267±$54k 14% above VT |
$111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
| Dorset and Underhill 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 |
$446,000±$24k 41% above VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
— | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
| Dorset and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Lowest 13% above VT |
$6,697 33% above VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±18.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset 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 VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.8% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
22 min 8% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.4%±11.3 VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Underhill 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 | #2 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| 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 History | 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.