Compare towns
Bennington vs Halifax vs Westminster
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).
Halifax has the most people working from home (29.9%).
Westminster has the highest household income ($81k).
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 | Halifax | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
847 |
497Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Westminster 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%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Halifax 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% |
22.6%±7.2 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Westminster 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 |
$63,889±$7k 21% below VT |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster and Halifax 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 |
$267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
| Westminster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$875±$154 29% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,991Highest about the VT average |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1968Highest 8 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 38% above VT |
30 min 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Westminster 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Halifax School District | — |
| 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 Our Story | 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.