Compare towns
Bennington vs Brattleboro vs Vernon
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Vernon has the highest household income ($86k).
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 | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
12,122 |
2,709Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
42.6±5.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Brattleboro 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% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6Lowest 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%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3%±1.7Lowest 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 |
$85,682±$9kHighest 6% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
$285,100±$25kHighest 10% below VT |
| Vernon and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
$1,023±$214Lowest 17% 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 | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$5,191 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
76.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
20 minHighest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Brattleboro Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.