Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Mendon vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most kids (19% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
12,122 |
1,113Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Mendon and Brattleboro 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% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest 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% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Mendon and Brattleboro 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% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 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 |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| 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 |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,342 6% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
19 minHighest 19% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Mendon and Brattleboro 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.