Compare towns
Worcester vs Bennington vs Dummerston vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the oldest population (median age 47).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Worcester | Bennington | Dummerston | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,090 |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Worcester and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126 13% above VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 22% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Worcester 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.