Compare towns
Bennington vs Orange 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 most people working from home (15.1%).
Orange has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Orange | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,573Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
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% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange 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% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 26% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7kHighest 19% below U.S. |
| Barre 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 36% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Orange and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58 23% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,136Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
10.7 |
| 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.