Compare towns
Bennington vs Old Bennington vs Barre
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).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Old Bennington | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
182Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
45±21.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| 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% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$57Highest 10% below VT |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 22 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.