Compare towns
Bennington vs Wayne vs Brattleboro
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 affordable homes ($213k median).
Wayne has the highest household income ($93k).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Wayne | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,101Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Brattleboro 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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 26% below U.S. |
$93,194±$26kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$362,800±$29kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,074±$58 24% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$5,700Highest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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% |
7.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 38 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.