Compare towns
Bennington vs Dummerston vs Hanover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Dummerston has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Hanover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,090Lowest |
8,479 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Dummerston 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.