Compare towns
Bennington vs Castleton vs Ira vs Tunbridge
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).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Tunbridge has the most people working from home (25.8%).
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 | Ira | Tunbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
4,453 |
381Lowest |
1,253 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
42.7±8.3 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Tunbridge and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.9%±1.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
42.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$89,464±$26kHighest 10% above VT |
| Tunbridge and Castleton 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 |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$315,300±$23kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,346±$128Highest 9% above VT |
| Tunbridge 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 |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$4,645Highest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Tunbridge and Bennington 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% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
25.8%±8.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Tunbridge 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | First Branch Unified School District #82 |
| 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 | 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.