Compare towns
Bennington vs Ripton vs Chester
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Ripton | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
508Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Chester 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
— | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.