Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs Ripton
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,713 |
508Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais 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% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais 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±$36k 23% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
| Ripton and Calais 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 |
— |
| Calais and Bennington 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Ripton 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.