Compare towns
Bennington vs Busti vs St. Johnsbury
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 most expensive homes ($213k median).
Busti has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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 | Busti | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,452 |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
46.6±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Busti 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Busti 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
29.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$67,292±$9kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Busti and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kHighest 36% below U.S. |
$164,600±$12kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17k 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,876Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 20% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.