Town · Vermont
Dorset, Vermont
Dorset, town, in Bennington County, Vermont. Dorset had 2,113 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,133 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,092 (±307). GEOID 5000317725.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,113
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,133 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,092 ±307
Median household income
$111,250
±$40,453 (90% margin)
Vermont: $81,203
Median home value
$569,200
±$56,633 (90% margin)
Vermont: $316,600
Median gross rent
$1,420
±$296 (90% margin)
Vermont: $1,234
Where is Dorset and what county is it in?
Dorset is a town in Bennington County, Vermont. It covers 47.4 square miles of land, 45 residents per square mile in 2020.
2 places lie inside Dorset: Dorset (CDP, 360 in 2020) and East Dorset (CDP, 296 in 2020).
Dorset is in the Bennington, VT micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Dorset, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,113 people lived in Dorset on July 1, 2025, down 1.2% since 2020, while Vermont grew 0.2%. The 2020 Census counted 2,133 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,092 (±307).
| Measure | Dorset | Bennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,092±307 | 37,269 | +417 |
| Households | 838±113 | 14,987 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50±0.26 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,448±121 | 20,903 | no clear change |
Dorset's population since 2000
From 2,036 in 2000 to 2,113 in 2025: up 3.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Dorset as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Dorset?
The median resident of Dorset is 45.9 years old; 24.0% are under 18 and 21.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.3%.
| Measure | Dorset | Bennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9±7.5 | 46.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.0%±5.8 pts | 18.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.9%±5.4 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Male | 54.7%±5.6 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.4%±0.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.4%±5.1 pts | 90.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0%±1.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3%±4.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.2%±2.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.4%±2.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2%±4.0 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 9.3%±4.8 pts | 16.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.1%±1.2 pts | 5.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.0%±1.0 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 72.1%±6.7 pts | 41.8% | +20.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 27.9%±7.4 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.4%±3.6 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.6%±3.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Dorset earn?
Half of Dorset's 838 households earn less than $111,250 a year (±$40,453), against $73,325 in Bennington County and $81,203 in Vermont. In 2015-2019 the median was $61,193 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $50,057 after inflation. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Dorset | Bennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $111,250±$40,453 | $73,325 | +$50,057 |
| Mean household income | $195,167±$51,994 | $107,853 | – |
| Per capita income | $81,673±$20,309 | $46,487 | +$33,047 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.2%±5.6 pts | 11.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.0%±7.2 pts | 15.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.7%±3.2 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.7%±6.4 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.9%±6.8 pts | 84.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Dorset?
Owners occupy 90.7% of Dorset's occupied homes and renters 9.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $569,200 by its owner (±$56,633). The median renter pays $1,420 a month including utilities, and 74.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Dorset | Bennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $569,200±$56,633 | $279,900 | +$155,072 |
| Median gross rent | $1,420±$296 | $1,109 | +$491 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 74.4%±23.4 pts | 53.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,303±$431 | $1,708 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 90.7%±4.9 pts | 73.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 9.3%±4.9 pts | 26.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,448±121 | 20,903 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.9%±5.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 18.8%±27.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.8%±3.7 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.2%±2.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4%±0.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.9%±2.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 33.4%±7.9 pts | 25.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.5%±2.6 pts | 7.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Dorset building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Dorset in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 2.4 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Vermont.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Dorset work and get to work?
62.1% of Dorset's workers drive alone and 29.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.7 minutes.
| Measure | Dorset | Bennington County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0%±6.7 pts | 59.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3%±4.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 62.1%±10.9 pts | 69.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.4%±1.5 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±2.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 7.3%±8.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 29.3%±9.1 pts | 17.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.7 min±5.7 | 20.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Dorset?
1 census tract lies mostly in Dorset (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9714Bennington County | 2,768 | $101,650 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Dorset) · Census block assignment files
How does Dorset compare with other places in Vermont?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Dorset is the 4,642nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 76th-most populous of 237 in Vermont.
Dorset ranks 13th of 198 places in Vermont with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 76th | 237 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 110th | 173 |
| Residents per square mile | 136th | 202 |
| Median household income | 13th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 2nd | 202 |
| Median home value | 7th | 201 |
| Median gross rent | 38th | 187 |
| Poverty rate | 65th | 162 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3rd | 200 |
| Median age | 95th | 202 |
| Owner-occupied share | 27th | 201 |
| Work from home | 8th | 185 |
| Travel time to work | 143rd | 202 |
Dorset's figures with every place in Vermont (CSV)
Every place in Vermont, sortable · Compare Dorset with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Dorset?
22 of the 57 figures for Dorset on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Dorset are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.