Compare towns
Waitsfield vs Dummerston vs West Burke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waitsfield has the most renters (66.2% rent).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
West Burke has the most affordable homes ($275k 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 | Waitsfield | Dummerston | West Burke |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 193 |
2,090Highest |
161Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
59.2±16.3 37% above VT |
| Waitsfield and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±10.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±13.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
58.7% VT: 43.8% |
28.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Waitsfield and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$27,321±$15k 66% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$275,000±$60kLowest 13% below VT |
| Waitsfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$525±$373Lowest 57% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,688Highest 7% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$3,194Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±49.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±31.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| West Burke and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
20.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 40% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
25 minHighest 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
20%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Waitsfield and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.