What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).

Colebrook has the oldest population (median age 53.7).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bennington	Colebrook
People
Population	15,249Highest	1,988Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S.	53.7±4.9Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	13.2%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bennington and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Colebrook and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bennington and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,446±$7kHighest 26% below U.S.	$51,159±$6kLowest 37% below U.S.
	Bennington and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$213,300±$15kHighest 36% below U.S.	$192,200±$59kLowest 42% below U.S.
	Bennington and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S.	$750±$238Lowest 47% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,513Highest 45% above U.S.	$4,350Lowest 39% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.3%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bennington and Colebrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S.	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 35% below U.S.	21 minHighest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#58 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87	Colebrook School District
High school in town	Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School	Colebrook Academy and Elementary School (H)
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	8.4Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.