Compare towns
Bennington vs Jay vs Ripton vs Stannard
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Stannard has the most homeowners (98.1%).
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 | Jay | Ripton | Stannard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
471 |
508 |
228Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
| Jay and Stannard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.2%±9.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.9%±8.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Stannard 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% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,979±$30k 18% below VT |
| Ripton and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$216,200±$44k 32% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
— | — | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,183 17% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ripton 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Ripton 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.