Compare towns
Dummerston vs Brookfield vs Lincoln 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Lincoln has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Brookfield | Lincoln | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
1,486 |
1,394Lowest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
47±5.9Highest 9% above VT |
45.7±3.6 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookfield and Lincoln 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% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest 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% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield 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% |
45.3% VT: 43.8% |
43.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.9%±2.1 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Brookfield 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 |
$98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$96,667±$18kLowest 19% above 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±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$339,300±$15k 7% above VT |
$365,200±$30k 15% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Lincoln 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 |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
$870±$47Lowest 29% 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 | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,560 10% below VT |
$6,100 21% above VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.1%±25.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Lincoln and Calais 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% |
6.3% VT: 10.1% |
7.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.1% VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Dummerston 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Lincoln Town School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.