Compare towns
Bennington vs Whiting vs Shaftsbury
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 people working from home (15.1%).
Whiting has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Shaftsbury has the most homeowners (82.3%).
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 | Whiting | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
532Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
43±6.6 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Whiting 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 |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
| Whiting and Shaftsbury 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 |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
$267,300±$24k 16% below VT |
| Whiting and Shaftsbury 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 |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
| Whiting and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Whiting 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% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
65.4% VT: 73.2% |
82.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
25 minHighest 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Whiting 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 | — | #62 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| 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.