Compare towns
Bennington vs Ripton vs Stratton vs Shaftsbury
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).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Stratton has the youngest population (median age 31.5).
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 | Stratton | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
508Lowest |
532 |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Bennington 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bennington 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% |
33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Stratton and Ripton 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 |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Stratton and Ripton 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 |
— | $1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Stratton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 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% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3 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 | — | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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 | 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.