Compare towns
Bennington vs Brookline vs Marshfield
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | Brookline | Marshfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
531 |
470Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
42.4±8.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookline 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Brookline 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% |
41.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
| Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT |
$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,125±$79Lowest 9% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,269Lowest 35% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Marshfield 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 | — | — |
| 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.