Compare towns
Bennington vs Rutland vs Hartford
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Rutland has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Rutland | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249 |
15,712Highest |
10,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average |
| Rutland 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% |
15.5%±2.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Hartford and Bennington 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% |
26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland 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% |
33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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 27% below VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$995±$65Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford and Bennington 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 |
$4,657 8% below VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
18 minHighest 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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 | #51 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rutland City School District | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Rutland Senior High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.3 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.