Compare towns
Bennington vs Barre vs Putney
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 kids (17.7% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Putney has the most expensive homes ($300k 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 | Barre | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
8,412 |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Putney 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% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Putney and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% 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 | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 minHighest 21% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney 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 | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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| 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.