Compare towns
Bennington vs Sidney vs Shaftsbury
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 the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Shaftsbury has the most kids (26.5% under 18).
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 | Sidney | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
4,790 |
3,607Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43±6.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
26.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Shaftsbury and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±4.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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 26% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$86,071±$24kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Shaftsbury and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$267,300±$24k 20% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,079±$54Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$4,015 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.7%±36 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 18 | 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 |
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.