Compare towns
Dummerston vs Bennington vs Calais
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Bennington | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
1,588Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8 8% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston 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 |
$1,292±$150Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Dummerston 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 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 | |||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Contoocook Valley School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.