Compare towns
Barton vs Ludlow vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Ludlow has the oldest population (median age 48.7).
North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Barton | Ludlow | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 730Lowest |
808 |
1,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
43.9±10 about the VT average |
| Ludlow and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±0.5 VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.3% VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$56,667±$19k 30% below VT |
$68,571±$10kHighest 16% below VT |
| North Bennington and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$304,000±$32k 4% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
| North Bennington and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,237 16% below VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1957Highest 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #38 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.