Compare towns
Bennington vs Chester vs Reading
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).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Chester | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,992 |
699Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Chester 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Bennington 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% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Reading 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% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Chester 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 |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Reading 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 |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Reading 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.