Compare towns
Dummerston vs Ashby vs Calais vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Ashby has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% 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.
| Measure | Dummerston | Ashby | Calais | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
3,211 |
1,713Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Ashby and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | North Middlesex | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.