Compare towns
Barre vs Hancock vs Stratton vs Bennington
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).
Hancock has the most affordable homes ($188k median).
Stratton has the most expensive homes ($400k median).
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 | Barre | Hancock | Stratton | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412 |
435Lowest |
532 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
33.8±11.6 22% below VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
34.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hancock 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 |
$76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Stratton and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Stratton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.5% VT: 73.2% |
73.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Hancock 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 |
| High school 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 | 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.