Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Williston vs Hartford 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).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Hartford has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
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 | Williston | Hartford | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,122Highest |
10,144 |
10,736 |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Williston and Hartford 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 |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
| Williston and Dummerston 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,700 13% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 19% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
18 minLowest 22% below VT |
21 minHighest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Hartford School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 9.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.