Compare towns
Bennington vs Hartford vs Putney
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
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 | Hartford | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
10,736 |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Hartford 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% |
18%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Putney and Hartford 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 |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Hartford and Putney 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 |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Hartford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney 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% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
18 minHighest 22% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hartford School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hartford High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
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| 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.