Compare towns
Bennington vs Brighton vs St. Johnsbury
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 expensive homes ($213k median).
Brighton has the most renters (48.9% rent).
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Brighton | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,167Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Brighton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Brighton 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% |
27.2%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brighton 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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 |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$57,738±$9k 29% below VT |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$177,700±$17k 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Brighton School District | — |
| 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.