Compare towns
Dummerston vs Bennington vs Springfield vs Calais
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Springfield | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
15,249Highest |
9,084 |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| 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%±6 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| 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 25% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| 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 6% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| 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 13% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais 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 |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Springfield 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% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
14.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.