Compare towns
Dorset vs Salisbury vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
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 | Dorset | Salisbury | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092Highest |
1,200Lowest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Lowest 6% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Strafford and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% above VT |
$110,833±$19k 36% above VT |
| Dorset and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$306,900±$51kLowest 3% below VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 15% above VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| Salisbury and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 8% below VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.