What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bradford has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).

Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bradford	Bennington
People
Population	2,827Lowest	15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.3%Highest VT: +2.8%	-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.7±3.1Lowest about the VT average	44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT
	Bennington and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±5.7Highest VT: 17.9%	17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bradford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±5.8Lowest VT: 21.4%	25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4%
	Bennington and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	36.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT	$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$258,600±$30kHighest 18% below VT	$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,221±$808Highest about the VT average	$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT
	Bradford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,472Lowest 11% below VT	$4,513Highest 10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4%	68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	13.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 4% above VT	17 minLowest 27% below VT
Work from home	7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9%	15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Bennington and Bradford 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	#45 of 70 in VT	#58 of 70 in VT
School district	Oxbow Unified Union School District #91	Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town	Oxbow Union High School	Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.5Lowest	14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.