Compare towns

Bennington vs Hermon vs Barre

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 most people working from home (15.1%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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.

MeasureBenningtonHermonBarre
People
Population
15,249Highest
6,727Lowest
8,412
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.7%
U.S.: +7.4%
+19.3%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-6.2%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
44.7±2.3Highest
15% above U.S.
41.1±4.7Lowest
6% above U.S.
42.2±6.6
8% above U.S.
Bennington and Barre 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%
21.6%±4.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
13.5%±3.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Hermon 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%
20.4%±4.7
U.S.: 17.2%
19.4%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bennington and Hermon 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%
37.6%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.8%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.8%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.4%±1.9Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bennington and Hermon 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
26% below U.S.
$96,629±$22kHighest
20% above U.S.
$65,625±$7k
19% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$213,300±$15k
36% below U.S.
$333,600±$32kHighest
about the U.S. average
$210,400±$15kLowest
37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,133±$63
20% below U.S.
$1,406±$202Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,093±$58Lowest
23% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,513
45% above U.S.
$2,761Lowest
11% below U.S.
$5,192Highest
66% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
68.8%±14.1Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
28.2%±19.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
34.4%±10.3
U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line
13.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.8%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
17.3%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
58.4%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.2%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
50.4%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1961
19 yrs older than U.S.
2000Highest
20 yrs newer than U.S.
1947Lowest
33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 minLowest
35% below U.S.
23 minHighest
14% below U.S.
19 min
30% below U.S.
Work from home
15.1%±4.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
8.8%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
Bennington and Barre 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 #54 of 133 in ME #19 of 70 in VT
School district Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 Hermon Public Schools Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center
High school in town Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School Hermon High School Spaulding Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
14.7Highest
14.6
10.7Lowest
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.