Compare towns
Dummerston vs Chesterfield vs Brattleboro vs Calais
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 most people working from home (25.9%).
Chesterfield has the oldest population (median age 46.8).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
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 | Chesterfield | Brattleboro | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
3,622 |
12,122Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7Highest 20% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield 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% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest 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% |
28.8%±7.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chesterfield 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% |
45.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest 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±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston 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 |
$373,500±$33k 12% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Calais and Chesterfield 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 |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
| 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. |
$6,344 103% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #52 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Chesterfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.