Compare towns
Bennington vs Franklin vs Swanton
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).
Franklin has the highest household income ($80k).
Swanton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.4%).
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 | Franklin | Swanton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,590Lowest |
2,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
38.8±6.9 10% below VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
| Bennington and Franklin 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% |
23.5%±5.6 VT: 17.9% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Franklin 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% |
15.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
21.7% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.5%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
| Franklin 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±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$79,917±$21kHighest about the VT average |
$66,607±$27k 18% below VT |
| Franklin and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$247,400±$66kHighest 22% below VT |
$229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
| Franklin and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$891±$266Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
| Swanton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,384Lowest 33% below VT |
$4,370 13% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
45.5%±42.2 VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Franklin 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
74.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 minHighest 8% above VT |
21 min 9% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
18.1%±4.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Franklin 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — |
| 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 |
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.