Compare towns
Bennington vs Shaftsbury vs Barre
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%).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Shaftsbury | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,607Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| 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±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| 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 10% below VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Barre 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 | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.