Compare towns
Bennington vs Barton vs St. Johnsbury
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 expensive homes ($213k median).
Barton has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Barton | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
730Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and St. Johnsbury 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% |
21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barton 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% |
21.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$40,833±$8kLowest 50% below VT |
$57,738±$9k 29% below VT |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$177,700±$17k 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.8%±18.2 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Barton 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% |
25.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
52.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Barton 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.