Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Townshend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Barre | Bennington | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
15,249Highest |
1,538Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
| Townshend and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$78,750±$29kHighest 3% below VT |
| Townshend and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
| Townshend and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,364Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 minHighest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Bennington 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 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
14.7Highest |
8.1Lowest |
| 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.