Compare towns
Bennington vs Bellows Falls 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
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 | Bellows Falls | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,891Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% 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% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls 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% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest 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% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Lowest 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±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$56,086±$2kLowest 31% 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 |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Bennington and Bellows Falls 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±$109 16% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Bennington and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,448 12% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1944 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #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 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.