Compare towns
Bennington vs Middlesex vs Dover vs Rutland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Rutland has the most affordable homes ($186k 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 | Middlesex | Dover | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249 |
1,943 |
1,466Lowest |
15,712Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
49±2.1 14% above VT |
| Dover and Rutland 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.2%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Rutland 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest 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±$7k 27% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$57,675±$8k 29% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
| Middlesex and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$995±$65 19% below VT |
| Middlesex and Bennington 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,510Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,657 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rutland 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% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
15.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Dover 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 | — | — | #51 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Rutland City School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | Rutland Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 12.3Lowest |
| 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.