Compare towns
Bennington vs Middlesex vs Barre vs Hartford
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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Barre | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,943Lowest |
8,412 |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$78,125±$7k 4% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26k 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,773 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.7 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.