Compare towns
Bennington vs Berlin vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($131k median).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Berlin | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,383Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
44.6±2.8Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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 26% below U.S. |
$45,180±$5kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8k 28% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$131,000±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$815±$141Lowest 42% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$3,437Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±12Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brattleboro 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 | #108 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Berlin School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Berlin Senior High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
8.2Lowest |
9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.