Compare towns
Brattleboro vs Webster vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brattleboro has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.2%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k 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 | Brattleboro | Webster | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,657 |
2,227Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,734±$12kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,600±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$67Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Webster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,490 76% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.1%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.8%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Webster 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 | #33 of 70 in VT | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | 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 |
U.S. 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.