Compare towns
Bennington vs Nottingham vs Barre
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 the shortest commute (17 min average).
Nottingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Nottingham | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
5,357Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
38.8±6.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Barre 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% |
23.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nottingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Nottingham and Bennington 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. |
$122,201±$20kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$65,625±$7k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$457,500±$26kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$2,068±$1kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Nottingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,319Highest 135% above U.S. |
$5,192 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
92.1%±44.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Nottingham and Bennington 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nottingham 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Nottingham School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.