Compare towns

Dummerston vs Bethlehem vs Calais vs Brattleboro

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 highest household income ($102k).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).

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.

MeasureDummerstonBethlehemCalaisBrattleboro
People
Population
2,090
2,537
1,713Lowest
12,122Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
-1.7%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.6±11.7
17% above U.S.
50.6±8.5Highest
30% above U.S.
42±8.6Lowest
8% above U.S.
45.6±4.5
17% above U.S.
Bethlehem 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
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.5%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 22%
19%±2.8
U.S.: 22%
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
U.S.: 17.2%
28.2%±5.5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
21.6%±5.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.5%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
Bethlehem and Brattleboro 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%
45.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
55.4%
U.S.: 35.7%
46.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.3%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
0.9%±0.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
7.4%±3.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.1%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
Calais and Brattleboro 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.
$85,029±$18k
5% above U.S.
$100,625±$27k
25% above U.S.
$58,241±$8kLowest
28% below 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
$288,300±$22k
13% below U.S.
$390,300±$36kHighest
17% above U.S.
$257,300±$18kLowest
23% below 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
$1,174±$81
17% below U.S.
$1,408±$392Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,074±$58Lowest
24% below U.S.
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.
$5,418
74% above U.S.
$6,586Highest
111% above U.S.
$5,700
83% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±32.2
U.S.: 51.1%
41.3%±18.3Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
49%±38.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±9.6
U.S.: 51.1%
Calais and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.5%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
10.1%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
17.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
92.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
92.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
58.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1955Lowest
25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 min
21% below U.S.
20 min
23% below U.S.
31 minHighest
18% above U.S.
19 minLowest
28% below U.S.
Work from home
25.9%±10.3
U.S.: 15.1%
31.2%±12.9Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
23.4%±7.1
U.S.: 15.1%
17.9%±4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Bethlehem 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 — #34 of 120 in NH — #33 of 70 in VT
School district Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 Bethlehem School District · Profile School District Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96
High school in town None in town Profile Senior High School None in town Brattleboro Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
8.9Lowest
—
9.0Highest
On TownTapestry
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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.