Compare towns
Bethel vs Benson vs Barnet
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most homeowners (83.6%).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Barnet has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.6%).
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 | Bethel | Benson | Barnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736 |
784Lowest |
1,855Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
51.9±9.4Highest 20% above VT |
47.7±5.3Lowest 11% above VT |
| Benson and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Barnet and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
35.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7k 7% below VT |
$78,625±$8kHighest 3% below VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
| Benson and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
$247,900±$24kHighest 22% below VT |
| Barnet and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
$974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
| Bethel and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Highest about the VT average |
$4,125Lowest 18% below VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
28 minLowest 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Benson and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.