Compare towns
Bennington vs Ripton vs Windham vs Worcester
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 renters (45.3% rent).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
508Lowest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±3 3% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
| Ripton and Worcester 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Ripton and Windham 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Ripton 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 |
— | — | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
| Bennington and Worcester 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,421 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 22 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.