Compare towns
Bennington vs Hardwick vs Wolcott vs Barre
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%).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Hardwick | Wolcott | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,965 |
1,507Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Hardwick and Bennington 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% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick and Bennington 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% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Wolcott 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 |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Hardwick and Wolcott 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 |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$221,300±$23kHighest 30% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Wolcott and Bennington 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±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,351 14% below VT |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Bennington 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
76.4% VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1962 14 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Wolcott 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 | #68 of 70 in VT | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Wolcott School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
8.6Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.