Dorset, VT · standard
ZIP Code 05251
Bennington County, Vermont - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,350
- 15/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $151,163
- Median income Above-median income area
- $567,900
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 69.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Dorset pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 4%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 10%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 15
- people per sq mi
- 93%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 05251 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 05251 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont, home to just 1,350 residents across 90.6 square miles, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 05251 skews affluent, with a median household income of $151,163 (82% above the average Vermont ZIP), while per-capita income is $90,734. The poverty rate is 10.0%, with unemployment at 1.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $567,900 (81% above the average Vermont ZIP), while 93.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,942.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 69.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Bennington County, so 05251 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 05251
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dorset, VT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 05251.
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
8 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
6 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 05251, Dorset, VT · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
1,350
Population
90.6
Area (sq mi)
15
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 05251?
43.5
Median Age
57.9%
Male
42.1%
Female
5.2%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$151,163
Median Household Income
+82% vs state ZIP avg
$90,734
Per Capita Income
10.0%
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 05251 ranks among Vermont ZIPs
Dorset, VT household income vs. every Vermont ZIP code
Median household income among 238 reporting Vermont ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$151,163 Top 1% higher than 99% of 238 Vermont ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Vermont ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,177housing units
1,177
Total Housing Units
638
Occupied Units
539
Vacant Units
2.62
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$567,900
Median Home Value
+81% vs state ZIP avg
$1,942
Median Rent
1971
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 65 business establishments in ZIP 05251, employing approximately 444 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,445,000.
65
Businesses
444
Employees
$23.4M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12 | 18.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 12.3% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 9.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 9.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 7.7% |
| Retail trade | 4 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 6.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 6.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 6.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 4.6% |
| Educational services | 3 | 4.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 05251 vs 05253 →
ZIP 05251 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 05255
Manchester Center (05255)
4,121 residents
- 05250
Arlington (05250)
3,408 residents
- 05739 1,407
Danby (05739)
1,407 residents
- 05251 1,350
Dorset (05251)
1,350 residents
- 05761 1,000
Pawlet (05761)
1,000 residents
- 05340 763
Bondville (05340)
763 residents
- 05776 714
West Rupert (05776)
714 residents
- 05253 685
East Dorset (05253)
685 residents
- 05254 273
Manchester (05254)
273 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 05251 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 05251 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 05251
Dorset (05251)
$151,163 median income
- 05254
Manchester (05254)
$122,868 median income
- 05250
Arlington (05250)
$96,250 median income
- 05340
Bondville (05340)
$96,083 median income
- 05253
East Dorset (05253)
$92,159 median income
- 05255
Manchester Center (05255)
$91,058 median income
- 05739
Danby (05739)
$75,000 median income
- 05761
Pawlet (05761)
$68,125 median income
- 05776
West Rupert (05776)
$64,375 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 05251 ranks the highest of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 05251, both outside VT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,350 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Bennington County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 05251 in?
ZIP code 05251 (Dorset) is located in Bennington County, Vermont. Bennington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bennington-vt.
What is the population of ZIP code 05251?
ZIP code 05251 in Dorset, VT has a population of 1,350 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 05251?
The median household income in ZIP 05251 is $151,163, which is 98% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 05251?
The median home value in ZIP 05251 is $567,900, which is 104% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 05251?
The largest racial group in ZIP 05251 is White at 94.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 05251?
ZIP code 05251 has 65 business establishments employing approximately 444 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 05251?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 05251 are: Construction (12), Professional, scientific, and technical services (8), Manufacturing (6). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 05251?
In ZIP code 05251, 79.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 69.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 05251?
In ZIP code 05251, approximately 93.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 6.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 05251?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 05251 is 10.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 05251's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 05251 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Dorset, VT ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.