Compare towns
Bennington vs Worcester vs Elmore
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%).
Elmore has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Elmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
831Lowest |
964 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
45±3.5 4% above VT |
| Worcester and Elmore 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% |
23.4%±9.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Elmore and Bennington 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% |
19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
14.6%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
47.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$98,750±$24kHighest 22% above VT |
| Elmore 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 |
$315,800±$47kHighest about the VT average |
| Elmore and Worcester 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 |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,225±$263Highest about the VT average |
| Elmore and Bennington 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 |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,066Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
31.8%±65.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Elmore 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% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
3.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
29 minHighest 25% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | — |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Elmore-Morristown Unified Union School District #90 |
| 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.