Compare towns
Middlesex vs Brattleboro vs Plainfield vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Middlesex | Brattleboro | Plainfield | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
12,122Highest |
2,522 |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Plainfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,700 83% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brattleboro and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | #19 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Plainfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.