Compare towns
Hartford vs Dummerston vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Hartford | Dummerston | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,736Highest |
2,090 |
1,026Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
| Braintree and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.6% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,125±$7kLowest 4% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$79,803±$5k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
| Dummerston and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±12.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Hartford and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 22% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
26 minHighest 11% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Braintree 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Hartford School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | Hartford High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.6 |
— | — |
| 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.