Compare towns
Bennington vs Middlebury 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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Middlebury has the youngest population (median age 31.8).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Old Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
9,175 |
182Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
45±21.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Old Bennington and 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Bennington 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% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4% VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$86,169±$16k 6% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$409,700±$30k 29% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$57 10% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
| Middlebury and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,331Lowest 14% below VT |
$6,868 36% above VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Middlebury 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% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.1% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.