Compare towns
Calais vs Windham vs Salisbury vs Dummerston
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 most expensive homes ($390k median).
Windham has the most renters (17.1% rent).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Calais | Windham | Salisbury | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713 |
594Lowest |
1,200 |
2,090Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
| Salisbury and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above 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±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 14% above VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,392±$126Lowest 13% above VT |
| Salisbury and Calais 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 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% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| 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.