Compare towns
Dummerston vs Bennington vs Barre
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 people working from home (25.9%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Barre has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
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 | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
15,249Highest |
8,005 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
48.4±4.2Highest 12% above VT |
| Barre and Dummerston 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% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington 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 VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$93,210±$9k 15% above VT |
| Dummerston and Barre 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 |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$281,400±$13k 11% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,524±$399Highest 24% above VT |
| Barre and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,737Highest 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.4%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 minHighest 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.7%±4.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Bennington 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.