Compare towns
Bennington vs Hartford vs White River Junction
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 the most homeowners (67.8%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | White River Junction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
10,736 |
3,364Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+10.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% 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% |
17.1%±5Lowest 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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 |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
$77,168±$4k 5% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction 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 |
$278,800±$78k 12% below VT |
| Hartford and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
| White River Junction and Hartford 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 |
$5,651 12% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
18 minHighest 22% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction 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 | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hartford School District | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hartford High School | — |
| 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.