Compare towns
Dummerston vs Strafford vs Williston 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 people working from home (25.9%).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Strafford | Williston | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
1,372Lowest |
10,144 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Strafford and Dummerston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Lowest 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%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest 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% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Williston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21k 25% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Strafford and Williston 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±$40k 36% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
| Williston and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.9% VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 11% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
20 min 16% below VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Williston 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Strafford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.