Compare towns
Bennington vs Barre vs Shaftsbury
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
8,412 |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest 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 | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
| Shaftsbury 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 |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% 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 | $4,513 10% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3%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 min 21% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 | #62 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 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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 |
— |
| 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.