Compare towns
Appleton vs Barre vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Appleton | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Appleton 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.