Compare towns
Bennington vs Chelsea vs Brattleboro
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Chelsea has the most homeowners (81.2%).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Chelsea | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,223Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54.1±12.1Highest 26% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Chelsea and Brattleboro 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% |
21.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Chelsea and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Chelsea and Brattleboro 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% |
29.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.8%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Chelsea 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 |
$65,913±$13kHighest 19% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Chelsea and Bennington 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 |
$260,900±$39kHighest 18% below VT |
$257,300±$18k 19% below VT |
| Chelsea and Brattleboro 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 |
$1,524±$467Highest 24% above VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Chelsea 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 |
$3,762Lowest 25% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
66.3%±33.2 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.3% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1967Highest 9 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±7.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | First Branch Unified School District #82 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.