Compare towns
Milton vs Dorset vs Colchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the highest household income ($119k).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Colchester has the most renters (25.9% 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 | Milton | Dorset | Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,769 |
2,092Lowest |
17,648Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
| Dorset and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.9%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dorset and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
$97,891±$9kLowest 21% above VT |
| Milton and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,500±$20kLowest 18% above VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
$394,400±$25k 25% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
$1,420±$296Lowest 15% above VT |
$1,474±$122 19% above VT |
| Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,610 11% above VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
$5,471Lowest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
22 min 8% below VT |
20 minLowest 15% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.6%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Colchester 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 | #56 of 70 in VT | — | #18 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Milton School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Colchester School District |
| High school in town | Milton Senior High School | None in town | Colchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.