Compare towns
Barre vs Plainfield 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
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Plainfield | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412 |
2,522Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Plainfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Plainfield 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. |
$122,656±$13kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$442,400±$47kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,674±$181Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 66% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield 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 | #19 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Plainfield School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.