Compare towns
Bennington vs Brookline vs Ripton vs Windham
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
531 |
508Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Brookline 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% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline 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% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ripton 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Windham 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 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| 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 | 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.