Compare towns
Dummerston vs Barre vs Dorset
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 most homeowners (92.9%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Dorset has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5%).
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 | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Dorset 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 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Dorset 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 25% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$111,250±$40kHighest 37% above VT |
| Dorset 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 6% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
| Dorset 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 |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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% |
11.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 minHighest 8% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Dummerston 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 | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| 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 History | 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.