Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Brattleboro vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
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 | Windham | Brattleboro | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
594Lowest |
12,122Highest |
1,538 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Dover 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Brattleboro 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
| 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 | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
| Windham and Townshend 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 |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% 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 |
— | $1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT |
$1,074±$80Highest 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Dover 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 | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Brattleboro Union High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0Highest |
8.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.