Compare towns
Bennington vs Plainfield vs Sharon
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
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 | Plainfield | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,314Lowest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
| Plainfield and Sharon 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% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Sharon 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
| Sharon and Plainfield 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
| Sharon and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,153±$103 7% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
| Sharon and Plainfield 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 |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | Sharon School District |
| 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.