Compare towns
Dummerston vs Norwich vs Dorset
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 affordable homes ($335k median).
Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Norwich | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Lowest |
3,640Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% below VT |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Dorset and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
81%Highest VT: 43.8% |
72.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 25% above VT |
$140,313±$12kHighest 73% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kLowest 6% above VT |
$637,500±$76kHighest 101% above VT |
$569,200±$57k 80% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Lowest 13% above VT |
$1,460±$322Highest 18% above VT |
$1,420±$296 15% above VT |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$10,000+Highest at least 98% above VT |
$7,489 49% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
22 minHighest 8% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
21%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | — | #1 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Norwich School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.