Compare towns
Bennington vs Wells River vs Brattleboro
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).
Wells River has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Brattleboro has the most expensive homes ($257k 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 | Wells River | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
340Lowest |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.7±12.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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% |
17.1%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro 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% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
| Bennington and Brattleboro 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 |
$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$900±$336Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| 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 10% below VT |
$4,154Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | 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 |
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.