Compare towns
Bennington vs Colchester vs Milton
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).
Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249 |
17,648Highest |
10,769Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
| Bennington and Milton 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% |
17.6%±3.4Lowest 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%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$372,500±$20k 18% above VT |
| Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,474±$122 19% above VT |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
| Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,471 9% above VT |
$5,610Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Milton 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% VT: 10.1% |
3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.1% VT: 73.2% |
86.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 min 15% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest 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 | #56 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Colchester School District | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Colchester High School | Milton Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.8 |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.