Compare towns
Bennington vs Dummerston vs Sandgate vs Barre
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Dummerston has the most expensive homes ($335k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Sandgate | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,090 |
435Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.6±11.7 6% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Sandgate 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% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Dummerston and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
— | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,536 10% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Dummerston 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% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1971Highest 5 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate 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 | — | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.