Compare towns
Brandon vs Bennington vs Goshen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brandon has the most kids (19.2% under 18).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Goshen has the most expensive homes ($330k 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 | Brandon | Bennington | Goshen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,120 |
15,249Highest |
142Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.1±3.1 16% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT |
| Goshen and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.6%±11.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Goshen and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
42.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0%±10Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,180±$12kHighest 21% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT |
| Brandon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$330,000±$115kHighest 4% above VT |
| Goshen and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,064±$225Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
— |
| Bennington and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,240Highest 4% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±15.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
— |
| Bennington and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.2% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
100%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
21 min 11% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±9.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Goshen 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 | #69 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Otter Valley Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
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.