Compare towns
Bennington vs Ludlow 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Ludlow has the most expensive homes ($304k median).
Barre has the highest household income ($66k).
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 | Ludlow | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
808Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Ludlow and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below VT |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,018±$91Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,237Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
33%±13.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 minHighest 10% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ludlow 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.