Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Mendon
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,657 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
44.3±5.9Lowest about the VT average |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
| Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest 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%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest 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±$7k 27% below VT |
$52,734±$12kLowest 35% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$234,600±$20k 26% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,113±$67Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,490Highest 9% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
46.1%±9.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Bennington 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minHighest 27% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 28% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| 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.