Compare towns
Bennington vs Worcester vs Barnard
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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Worcester | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
831Lowest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
| Worcester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Barnard 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% |
53% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester 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 |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| Barnard and Worcester 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 |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
29 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Barnard 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| 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 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.