Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Walden 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 renters (41.5% rent).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Dummerston has the most expensive homes ($335k median).
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 | Walden | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
1,037Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
| Walden 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% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest 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% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Walden 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 |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Walden 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 |
$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 19% below VT |
26 minHighest 10% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Walden 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 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | 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 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.