Compare towns
Bennington vs Strafford vs Warren
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
Warren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16%).
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 | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,585 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
+16%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
51.4±4.7 19% above VT |
53.1±4.2Highest 23% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford 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% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.3%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford 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% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.1%±4.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Warren 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3% VT: 43.8% |
60%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
3.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Strafford 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 |
$86,905±$16k 7% above VT |
| Strafford and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$431,300±$40k 36% above VT |
$569,300±$123kHighest 80% above VT |
| Warren and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,750±$394Highest 42% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$7,149 42% above VT |
$7,284Highest 45% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
32.3%±26.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Strafford 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% |
15.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 minHighest about the VT average |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
36.2%±5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| 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 |
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.