Compare towns
Dummerston vs Cornish vs Bennington 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 most people working from home (25.9%).
Cornish has the oldest population (median age 54).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).
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.
| Measure | Dummerston | Cornish | Bennington | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,816 |
1,588Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington 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% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro 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 26% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$267,300±$15k 20% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,221±$227 14% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150 9% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bennington 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. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro 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 | — | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Cornish School District | Contoocook Valley School District | 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 |
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.

