Compare towns
Bennington vs Middlesex vs Sandgate
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 most renters (41.6% rent).
Middlesex has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
Sandgate has the oldest population (median age 55.7).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,943 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest 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% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above 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 |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Middlesex 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | 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.