Compare towns
Bennington vs Bellows Falls vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Barre has the highest household income ($66k).
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 | Bellows Falls | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,891Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| 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%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Bennington 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% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Bellows Falls 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% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Bennington 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 |
$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,093±$58 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 |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Bellows Falls 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% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 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 |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| 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.