Compare towns
Middlesex vs Gardner vs Dummerston vs Ferrisburgh
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%).
Gardner has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ferrisburgh has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Middlesex | Gardner | Dummerston | Ferrisburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
21,148Highest |
2,090 |
2,661 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
45.5±4.9 17% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Ferrisburgh 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% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±4.5Lowest 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%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Ferrisburgh 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% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$106,989±$22k 33% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Ferrisburgh 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. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$422,700±$35kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Ferrisburgh 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. |
$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,435±$173Highest about the U.S. average |
| Ferrisburgh and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$6,120 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±19.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ferrisburgh and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.6%±4.2 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — | #7 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Gardner | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.