Compare towns
Bennington vs Braintree vs Ira
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).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
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 | Braintree | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,026 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Ira 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 |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$942±$52 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
26 min 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — |
| 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.