What stands out worked out from the figures below

Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Colchester	Dummerston
People
Population	17,648Highest	2,090Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT	45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT
	Dummerston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9%
	Dummerston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	58.7%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7%	1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,891±$9kLowest 21% above VT	$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT
	Dummerston and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT	$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT	$1,392±$126Lowest 13% above VT
	Colchester and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,471Highest 9% above VT	$4,536Lowest 10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.2%±10.6Highest VT: 48.4%	44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Colchester and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Highest VT: 10.1%	4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	92.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 15% below VT	21 minHighest 11% below VT
Work from home	19%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9%	25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Dummerston and Colchester 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	#18 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Colchester School District	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town	Colchester High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.