Compare towns
Dummerston vs Ryegate vs Sheffield 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 highest household income ($102k).
Ryegate has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k 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 | Ryegate | Sheffield | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,059 |
573Lowest |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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 VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Sheffield 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 |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$58,333±$26k 28% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Dummerston and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$3,472 31% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Ryegate 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% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.