Compare towns
Bennington vs Hanover vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
8,479 |
7,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below U.S. |
42.8±3.8 10% above U.S. |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
17.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
89.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
49.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$153,281±$26kHighest 90% above U.S. |
$57,738±$9kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$842,600±$97kHighest 153% above U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$2,254±$249Highest 60% above U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,916Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover and Bennington 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% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
20 minHighest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hanover and St. Johnsbury 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.