Compare towns
Dummerston vs Lancaster vs Upton 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 homeowners (92.9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Lancaster | Upton | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Upton 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brattleboro and Lancaster 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. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Dummerston 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.