Compare towns
Bennington vs Chester vs Windham vs Old Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
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 | Bennington | Chester | Windham | Old Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
2,992 |
594 |
182Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
45±21.3 4% above VT |
| Chester and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.5% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1 VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$57Highest 10% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
— | $1,063±$1k 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,331 14% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.