Compare towns
Bennington vs Cornwall vs Ripton vs Salisbury
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Salisbury has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Cornwall | Ripton | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,208 |
508Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+7.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Cornwall 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% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall 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% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Salisbury 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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 |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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 |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
— | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Bennington 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 |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Cornwall 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% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Ripton 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.