Compare towns
Bennington vs Fletcher vs Wells
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).
Fletcher has the highest household income ($106k).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
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 | Fletcher | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,196 |
1,148Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.4% VT: +2.8% |
+5.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
| Wells and Fletcher 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% |
19%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Wells 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% |
32.3% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Wells 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 |
$105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$302,100±$37kHighest 5% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
| Fletcher and Wells 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 |
$1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
| Fletcher and Wells 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 |
$4,965Highest about the VT average |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±78.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wells 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
32 min 37% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Fletcher 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 | Fletcher School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | 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 |
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.