Compare towns
Dummerston vs Manchester vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).
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 | Manchester | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
4,486 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
54.5±6.3Highest 26% above VT |
45.6±4.5Lowest 6% above VT |
| Manchester 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Manchester 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 VT: 43.8% |
47.4% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Manchester 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±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$94,886±$23k 17% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Dummerston and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$454,600±$47kHighest 44% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,057±$76Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,923Highest 18% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.5%±13.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Manchester and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 11% below VT |
14 minLowest 39% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Manchester 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 | — | #37 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | 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 |
VT 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.