Compare towns
Bennington vs Colchester vs Barre
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).
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Colchester | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249 |
17,648Highest |
8,412Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester 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% |
17.9%±2.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$97,891±$9kHighest 21% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,474±$122Highest 19% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,471Highest 9% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Colchester 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% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
74.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 minHighest 15% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Colchester School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Colchester High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.8 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.