Compare towns
Bennington vs Strafford vs Vershire
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).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Strafford | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,372 |
842Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
| Strafford and Vershire 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Vershire 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% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Vershire 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% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Vershire 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 |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,125±$789 9% below VT |
$1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
| Bennington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Bennington 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% |
5.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
32 minHighest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Strafford 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Strafford School District | — |
| 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 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.