Compare towns
Bennington vs Orange vs Walden
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Orange has the oldest population (median age 50.3).
Walden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
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 | Orange | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
957Lowest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.3±5.3Highest 17% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Orange and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.6%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Walden 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 VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
26.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Walden 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 |
$71,302±$13k 12% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$222,000±$22k 30% below VT |
$238,900±$23kHighest 25% below VT |
| Walden and Orange 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 |
$1,330±$153Highest 8% above VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Orange and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,545Lowest 30% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±87Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Walden 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% |
7.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.8% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
13.5%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | 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.