Compare towns
Brighton vs Dummerston vs Bellows Falls vs Newark
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Newark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.5%).
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 | Brighton | Dummerston | Bellows Falls | Newark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,167 |
2,090 |
2,891Highest |
727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6 5% above VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
41.4±6 4% below VT |
| Dummerston and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
22%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
$72,929±$7k 10% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$229,900±$23k 27% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$3,771 25% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
22.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 41% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
34 minHighest 44% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brighton School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.