Compare towns
Dorset vs Waterbury vs Dummerston
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 expensive homes ($569k median).
Waterbury has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
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 | Waterbury | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,092 |
5,405Highest |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% VT: +2.8% |
+5.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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% |
21.9%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Waterbury 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 |
$103,917±$23k 28% above VT |
$101,696±$21kLowest 25% above VT |
| Dorset and Waterbury 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 |
$447,200±$40k 41% above VT |
$335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
$1,027±$535Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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 |
$6,435 28% above VT |
$4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.8%±21.7 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Waterbury 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% |
7.9% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 8% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
28.3%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Waterbury 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 | — | #20 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | 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 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.