Compare towns
Braintree vs Bennington vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
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 | Braintree | Bennington | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026 |
15,249Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$942±$52 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Braintree 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| 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.