Compare towns
Bennington vs Barnard vs Dummerston
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 ($213k median).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
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 | Barnard | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,211Lowest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.3% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$97,581±$19k 20% above VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
| Dummerston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$335,300±$22k 6% above VT |
| Barnard and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,372±$80 11% above VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
| Dummerston and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston and Barnard 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 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.