Compare towns
Bennington vs Whitingham vs Wolcott
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).
Whitingham has the most expensive homes ($262k median).
Wolcott has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,368Lowest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT |
42.4±5.9Lowest 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% |
22.8%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wolcott 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% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
31.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Wolcott 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 |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
$70,259±$10k 13% below VT |
| Whitingham and Wolcott 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±$30kHighest 17% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Whitingham and Wolcott 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 |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Wolcott 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 |
$3,930Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Wolcott and Bennington 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Wolcott 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 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Wolcott School District |
| 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 |
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| 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.