Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs Elmore
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).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Calais | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,713 |
964Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
45±3.5Highest 4% above VT |
| Elmore 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% |
22.5%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.4%±9.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Elmore and Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington 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 |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$98,750±$24k 22% above VT |
| Calais and Elmore 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$315,800±$47k about the VT average |
| Calais and Elmore 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 |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$1,225±$263 about the VT average |
| Calais and Elmore 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$5,066 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
29 min 25% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | 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.