Compare towns
Bennington vs Hartford vs Williston 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Hartford | Williston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
10,736 |
10,144 |
8,412Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+7.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Williston 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% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Hartford 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston 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±$7k 4% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Williston 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% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Hartford School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Hartford High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.