Compare towns
Bennington vs Northfield vs Windsor
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Northfield | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
5,920 |
3,554Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
44.8±6.5Highest 4% above VT |
| Windsor 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 VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor 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% VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Northfield 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 |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207Lowest 18% below VT |
$1,026±$89 17% below VT |
| Bennington and Windsor 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 |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,209Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Northfield 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
23 min 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.0Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.