Compare towns
Bennington vs Hoosick vs Williston 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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Hoosick has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
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 | Hoosick | Williston | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
6,671Lowest |
10,144 |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
44.9±5.5 15% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Williston and Hoosick 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% |
22.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hoosick and Williston 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% |
22.7%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Hoosick 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% |
24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 26% below U.S. |
$63,372±$21k 22% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$177,200±$21kLowest 47% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$881±$148Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,071Lowest 31% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1954 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Hoosick 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 | #62 of 484 in NY | #11 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | HOOSICK FALLS CENTRAL 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 | HOOSICK FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.7Lowest |
— | 10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.