Compare towns
Dummerston vs Lancaster 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 highest household income ($102k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
3,216 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Lancaster 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% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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% |
30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 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±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$68,911±$23k 15% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest 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 | — | #107 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | White Mountains Regional School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school 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 |
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.