Compare towns
Calais vs Dummerston vs Waitsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Waitsfield has the oldest population (median age 74.8).
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 | Calais | Dummerston | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713 |
2,090Highest |
193Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
71.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±9.1 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT |
| Waitsfield and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,392±$126Lowest 13% above VT |
— |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,688 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
14 minLowest 40% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.