Compare towns
Bennington vs Stowe vs Windsor
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).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($208k 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 | Stowe | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
5,285 |
3,554Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+0.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
46.3±7.6Highest 7% above VT |
44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
| Stowe and Windsor 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
39.7% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6 VT: 7% |
0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$93,618±$33kHighest 15% above VT |
$52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
| Stowe 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,458±$242Highest 18% above VT |
$1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,209 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.5%±17 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
78.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 18% below VT |
23 minHighest 3% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Stowe 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 | — | #61 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Stowe Town School District | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Stowe High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
11.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.