Compare towns
Bennington vs Sandgate vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
Bordering BenningtonOld Bennington
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Barre has the most expensive homes ($210k median).
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 | Sandgate | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
435Lowest |
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 |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Sandgate 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% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$69,167±$19kHighest 15% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Sandgate and Barre 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 |
$193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15kHighest 34% below VT |
| Barre and Sandgate 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 |
— | $1,093±$58Lowest 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 | $4,331 14% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1959Highest 17 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Bennington 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 | — | #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.