Compare towns
Bennington vs Dummerston vs Castleton vs Woodford
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).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Woodford has the oldest population (median age 61.8).
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 | Dummerston | Castleton | Woodford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,090 |
4,453 |
282Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
61.8±4.9Highest 43% above VT |
| Woodford and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
9.6%±11.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
35.1%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Woodford 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% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
32%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±5.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$81,250±$20k about the VT average |
| Dummerston and Woodford 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 |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$275,000±$67k 13% below VT |
| Dummerston and Woodford 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 |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
— |
| Dummerston and Castleton 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 |
$4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$3,075Lowest 39% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Bennington and Castleton 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
95.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.6%±11.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Woodford and Dummerston 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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.