Compare towns
Bennington vs Castleton vs Royalton
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).
Castleton has the most homeowners (79%).
Royalton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
4,453 |
2,752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.9±10.1 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Royalton 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% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Bennington 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% |
22.1%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Royalton 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% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton 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 |
$263,200±$73kHighest 17% below VT |
| Royalton and Castleton 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 |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Castleton 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 |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,675Highest 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1Lowest 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
20 minHighest 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.