Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Sullivan
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).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Sullivan has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Sullivan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
12,122 |
687Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
46.6±6.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Sullivan 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 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5Lowest 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% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±3.6Lowest 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% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest 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±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$106,667±$20kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$257,300±$18kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$236,500±$29k 29% below U.S. |
| Brattleboro and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,225±$275Highest 13% below U.S. |
| Sullivan and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,099 63% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±84.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.2%±2.5Lowest 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.