Compare towns
Swanton vs Bellows Falls vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Swanton has the youngest population (median age 37.8).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Swanton | Bellows Falls | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,670 |
2,891Highest |
2,090Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4% VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
41.3±6.7 4% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dummerston and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
27.5% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.7 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,238±$103 about the VT average |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,370Lowest 13% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$4,536Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dummerston and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.1% VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.8% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952 24 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 9% below VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.