Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Williston vs Chesterfield 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 most affordable homes ($257k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Chesterfield has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
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.
| Measure | Brattleboro | Williston | Chesterfield | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
10,144 |
3,622 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2%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% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40k 27% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Williston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 83% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield 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% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #52 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Chesterfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.