Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs Ripton vs Rutland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Rutland has the most affordable homes ($186k 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 | Calais | Ripton | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249 |
1,713 |
508Lowest |
15,712Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
| Rutland and Ripton 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% |
15.5%±2.4 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% |
26.2%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Rutland 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below 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±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below 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±$63 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
— | $995±$65Lowest 19% below 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 |
$4,657 8% below VT |
| 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% |
51.6%±8.2 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest 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 | — | — | #51 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 | Rutland City School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | Rutland Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 12.3Lowest |
| 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.