Compare towns
Dover vs Windham vs Strafford vs Wardsboro
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 most people working from home (23.2%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k 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 | Windham | Strafford | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
594Lowest |
1,372 |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -0.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Wardsboro 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% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Wardsboro 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% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Strafford 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±$12k 16% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Strafford and Windham 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±$20k 12% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$299,300±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
— | $1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Strafford 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 |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Strafford 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1978Lowest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Windham 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 | — | Strafford School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.