What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dummer has the most homeowners (94.2%).

Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dummer	Swanton
People
Population	299Lowest	2,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.4% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S.	37.8±4.7Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	19.4%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	24.3%±8.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Swanton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Dummer and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	20.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.2%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Swanton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S.	$66,607±$27kLowest 17% below U.S.
	Dummer and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$242,200±$51kHighest 27% below U.S.	$229,000±$15kLowest 31% below U.S.
	Dummer and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,238±$103 12% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,898Lowest 7% below U.S.	$4,370Highest 40% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	36.1%±21.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Swanton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	64.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 5% below U.S.	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.
Work from home	6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	7.4%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Swanton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.