Compare towns
Bennington vs Whitingham 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%).
Whitingham has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
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 | Whitingham | Shaftsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,368Lowest |
3,607 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
+0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT |
43±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Whitingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Whitingham 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% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$70,625±$11k 13% below VT |
$86,071±$24kHighest 6% above VT |
| Shaftsbury and Whitingham 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 |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
$267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,079±$54 13% below VT |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury 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 |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
52.7%±36Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Whitingham 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 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
7.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.