Compare towns
Bennington vs Rockland 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Rockland | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,035Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% 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. |
$245,800±$38kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Rockland 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. |
$1,092±$105Lowest 23% 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. |
$4,059Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
62%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Oceanside High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.