Compare towns
Busti vs Bennington vs Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Busti has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+53.8%).
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 | Busti | Bennington | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,452Lowest |
15,249Highest |
8,219 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+53.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
46.6±2.5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Busti and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,292±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$77,601±$6kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Vernon and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,600±$12kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kHighest 36% below U.S. |
$202,100±$11k 39% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$900±$127Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,876 24% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,656Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Vernon 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 | #368 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | SHERRILL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 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 |
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.