Compare towns
Dummerston vs Barre vs Brookline vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Barre | Brookline | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
8,412Highest |
531Lowest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Brookline 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 VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Dummerston and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Brookline and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Brookline 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.