Compare towns
Bennington vs Dover vs Fairlee
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 kids (17.7% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Fairlee has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Dover | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,466 |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Fairlee 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% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$74,760±$10kHighest 8% below VT |
| Fairlee and Bennington 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 |
$332,900±$55kHighest 5% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Dover and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Bennington and Fairlee 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 |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Bennington 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
24 minHighest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | 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 |
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.