Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Bennington vs Newfane
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the highest household income ($70k).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
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 | Newfane |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,456 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54.4±3.9 26% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$66,719±$21k 18% below VT |
| Bridgewater and Newfane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
| Newfane and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
| Newfane and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,174Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
10.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane 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 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school 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 |
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.