Compare towns
Bennington vs White River Junction vs Wilder
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).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | White River Junction | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,364 |
3,087Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.8% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
| Wilder and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±5 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and White River Junction 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% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$5,651Highest 12% above VT |
$5,505 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1963 13 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minHighest 27% below VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| White River Junction 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.