Compare towns
Dummerston vs Gardner vs Westminster 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%).
Gardner has the youngest population (median age 43.7).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Gardner | Westminster | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
21,148Highest |
8,374 |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
48.3±4.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Westminster 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Westminster 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% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gardner 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. |
$67,518±$8k 16% below U.S. |
$106,331±$22kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Westminster 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 |
$301,600±$20k 9% below U.S. |
$422,000±$36kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,843±$268Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,973 59% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster and Gardner 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% |
13.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Gardner | Ashburnham-Westminster | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | Oakmont Regional High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
13.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.