Compare towns
Bradford vs Bennington vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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.
| Measure | Bradford | Bennington | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,827 |
15,249Highest |
1,938Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.7±3.1 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| 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%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Bradford and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,600±$30k 18% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% 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 |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 4% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 7.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Fairfield 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 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | Oxbow Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.