Compare towns
Bennington vs Mapleton vs Barre vs Pownal
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
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 | Mapleton | Barre | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,412 |
3,265 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
49±9.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
$64,163±$21k 21% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$256,600±$32kHighest 23% below U.S. |
| Pownal and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
$944±$139 33% below U.S. |
| 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 45% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,560 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±18.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Pownal 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% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal 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 | #67 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.