Compare towns
Chesterfield vs Dover vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chesterfield has the highest household income ($102k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
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 | Chesterfield | Dover | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,622 |
1,466Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Dover and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.8%±7.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8k 28% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,324±$1kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 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 | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover and Chesterfield 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 | #52 of 120 in NH | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Chesterfield School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.