Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Bennington vs Fletcher
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Fletcher has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.4%).
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 | Bakersfield | Bennington | Fletcher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,196 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.4±8 8% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
48.7±7.3Highest 13% above VT |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
19%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
32.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18k about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$302,100±$37kHighest 5% below VT |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327 about the VT average |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
| Fletcher and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823Lowest 24% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,965Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
32 min 37% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Bakersfield 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Fletcher School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.