Compare towns
Bennington vs Castleton vs Dummerston vs Shaftsbury
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Castleton | Dummerston | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
4,453 |
2,090Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
45.6±11.7Highest 6% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Dummerston 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Dummerston 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Dummerston and Shaftsbury 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Dummerston and Castleton 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
92.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Dummerston 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | 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 | 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.