Compare towns
Dover vs Montgomery vs Windham vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Montgomery has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k 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 | Dover | Montgomery | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
1,047 |
594Lowest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-1.4% VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$323,200±$45k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27kLowest 14% below VT |
| Windham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$868±$209 30% below VT |
— | $1,023±$136Highest 17% below VT |
| Worcester and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 | 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.