Compare towns
Bennington vs Unity vs Windham vs Rutland
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 most kids (17.7% under 18).
Unity has the oldest population (median age 58).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Rutland has the most affordable homes ($186k 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 | Unity | Windham | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249 |
1,375 |
594Lowest |
15,712Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
49±2.1 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.2%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Rutland 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% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$87,500±$16k 8% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Windham and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$276,100±$29k 17% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$185,500±$16kLowest 44% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
— | $995±$65Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Unity and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,394 73% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,657 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 35% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | — | — | #51 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Unity School District | — | Rutland City School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | — | Rutland Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 12.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.