Compare towns
Bennington vs Jay vs West Fairlee
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).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
West Fairlee has the highest household income ($77k).
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 | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
471Lowest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
| Jay and West Fairlee 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% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest 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% |
29.7%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Fairlee and Bennington 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
44.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and West Fairlee 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$76,500±$16kHighest 6% below VT |
| West Fairlee 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 |
$237,200±$35kHighest 25% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
— | $1,113±$171Lowest 10% below VT |
| Bennington and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,210Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50%±89.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and West Fairlee 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
91.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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 |
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.