Compare towns
Dummerston vs Dover vs Bennington vs Chesterfield
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%).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Chesterfield has the most expensive homes ($374k median).
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 | Dover | Bennington | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,466Lowest |
15,249Highest |
3,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
46.8±8.7 20% above U.S. |
| Dover and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.8%±7.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Chesterfield 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% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Dover 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. |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$102,370±$40kHighest 27% 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 |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$373,500±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Chesterfield and Dummerston 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 |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,324±$1k 6% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$6,344Highest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
83.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Chesterfield and Bennington 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% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Dover 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #52 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Chesterfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.