Compare towns
Middlesex vs Dedham vs Dummerston vs Montpelier
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%).
Dedham has the most expensive homes ($662k median).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% rent).
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 | Dedham | Dummerston | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
25,237Highest |
2,090 |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Middlesex 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. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Dedham 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. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$375,100±$21k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483 108% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham 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% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Dedham | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | 10.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.