Compare towns
Bennington vs Fairfield vs Proctor
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
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 | Fairfield | Proctor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,938 |
1,794Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Proctor 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 |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
| Fairfield and Proctor 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 |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441 14% below VT |
$1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
| Bennington and Fairfield 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 |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
$4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
22 min 6% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Proctor 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.