Compare towns

Barre vs Mapleton vs Bennington vs Rockingham

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Mapleton has the most homeowners (79.9%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).

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.

MeasureBarreMapletonBenningtonRockingham
People
Population
8,412
1,884Lowest
15,249Highest
4,807
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
-2.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-8.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
42.2±6.6
8% above U.S.
41.8±6Lowest
7% above U.S.
44.7±2.3
15% above U.S.
46.4±2.6Highest
19% above U.S.
Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
13.5%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
22.2%±5.1Highest
U.S.: 22%
17.7%±2.3
U.S.: 22%
19.2%±4.3
U.S.: 22%
Mapleton and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.4%±3.9
U.S.: 17.2%
18.3%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
25.2%±2.8
U.S.: 17.2%
29.8%±5Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.1%
U.S.: 35.7%
34.3%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
37.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.4%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5%±2.9
U.S.: 6.4%
5.8%±1.6
U.S.: 6.4%
6.1%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Rockingham and Bennington 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 U.S.
$91,731±$25kHighest
14% above U.S.
$59,446±$7kLowest
26% below U.S.
$70,857±$16k
12% below U.S.
Mapleton and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$210,400±$15k
37% below U.S.
$191,800±$23kLowest
42% below U.S.
$213,300±$15kHighest
36% below U.S.
$210,900±$14k
37% below U.S.
Bennington and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,093±$58
23% below U.S.
$610±$277Lowest
57% below U.S.
$1,133±$63Highest
20% below U.S.
$1,062±$101
25% below U.S.
Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,192Highest
66% above U.S.
$1,789Lowest
43% below U.S.
$4,513
45% above U.S.
$4,887
57% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
34.4%±10.3
U.S.: 51.1%
16.7%±10.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
68.8%±14.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±13.7
U.S.: 51.1%
Bennington and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
16.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
58.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
61.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1947
33 yrs older than U.S.
1977Highest
3 yrs older than U.S.
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
19 min
30% below U.S.
28 minHighest
5% above U.S.
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
20 min
25% below U.S.
Work from home
10.5%±4.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.8%±3.8
U.S.: 15.1%
15.1%±4.4
U.S.: 15.1%
17.9%±7.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Rockingham 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 #65 of 70 in VT
School district Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center RSU 79/MSAD 01 Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 Rockingham School District
High school in town Spaulding Union High School None in town Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
10.7Lowest
—
14.7Highest
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.