Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Bennington vs Ashland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.1%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Ashland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
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 | Bridgewater | Bennington | Ashland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,169Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.3±6.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
42.3±11.2Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 10.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,361±$9kHighest about the U.S. average |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$54,607±$9kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,600±$65kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$227,000±$29k 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$201 20% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,096±$155Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823Lowest 9% below U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,961Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.1%±13.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±14.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
21.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Ashland 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 | Newfound Area School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Ashland School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| 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.