Compare towns
Bennington vs Shaftsbury vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
St. Johnsbury has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
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 | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,607Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
42.8±3.8Lowest 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%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest 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% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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 |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Shaftsbury 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 33% below VT |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,015 20% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest 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% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.