Compare towns
Bennington vs Exeter vs St. Albans
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
St. Albans has the most renters (51% 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 | Exeter | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249 |
16,151Highest |
6,954Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
38.7±2Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Albans 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington 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 26% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$57,980±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$263,400±$18k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,150±$78 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,436Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.8%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Exeter High School | Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans) |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.1 |
11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.