Compare towns
Dummerston vs Castleton vs Braintree vs Brattleboro
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%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Castleton | Braintree | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
4,453 |
1,026Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Braintree 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Dummerston and Braintree 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Dummerston and Castleton 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,908 22% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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 VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Braintree 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.