Compare towns
Dummerston vs Strafford vs Wardsboro
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 people working from home (25.9%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Wardsboro has the most affordable homes ($299k 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 | Strafford | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,090Highest |
1,372 |
820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wardsboro 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% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1 VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$62,000±$6kLowest 24% below VT |
| Strafford and Dummerston 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 |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$299,300±$47kLowest 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536 10% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wardsboro and Strafford 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% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Strafford School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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.