Compare towns
Braintree vs Bennington vs Northfield
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 oldest population (median age 58.4).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k 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 | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
15,249Highest |
5,920 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Northfield 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%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
| Braintree and Northfield 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 |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
| Bennington and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Northfield 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | #42 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
10.0Lowest |
| 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.