Compare towns
Bennington vs Wilder vs Rockingham
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 renters (41.6% rent).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Wilder | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,087Lowest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham and Wilder 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% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham and Wilder 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% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Rockingham 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 |
$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Wilder and Rockingham 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 |
$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$210,900±$14kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$1,062±$101Lowest 14% below VT |
| Wilder and Bennington 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 |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rockingham 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% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 27% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham 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 | — | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | None in town |
| 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.