Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Dover
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 highest household income ($59k).
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
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 | Brattleboro | Dover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,657 |
1,466Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
| Dover 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 VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.8%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dover 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.2% VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| 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 27% below VT |
$52,734±$12k 35% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
| 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±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$234,600±$20k 26% below VT |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,113±$67 10% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
| 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 10% below VT |
$5,490Highest 9% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.1%±9.5 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
22 minHighest 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| 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.