Compare towns
Bennington vs Barre vs Woodford
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).
Woodford has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Barre | Woodford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
8,412 |
282Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
61.8±4.9Highest 43% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
9.6%±11.2Lowest 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+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
35.1%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Woodford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
32%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.9%±5.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Woodford 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 |
$81,250±$20kHighest about the VT average |
| Woodford 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 |
$275,000±$67kHighest 13% below VT |
| Woodford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% 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 | $4,513 10% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,075Lowest 39% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
95.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.6%±11.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Woodford 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 | 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.