Compare towns
Bennington vs Old Bennington vs Ripton 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%).
Ripton has the oldest population (median age 47.7).
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 | Ripton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
182Lowest |
508 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
45±21.3 4% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton 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% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 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% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Ripton 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Ripton 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 |
$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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 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 |
24 min about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 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 | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | — | — | None 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 | 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.