Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs St. Johnsbury
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k 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 | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,713Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and St. Johnsbury 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% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Lowest 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±$7k 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% 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 | $4,513 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and St. Johnsbury 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| 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 Our Story | 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.