Compare towns
Bennington vs St. Johnsbury vs Wilder
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 renters (41.6% rent).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
7,368 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
| Wilder 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% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Bennington 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 |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
| Wilder 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 |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
| Wilder and Bennington 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 |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury 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% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
20 minHighest 17% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| 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.