Compare towns
Calais vs Bennington vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Brookline has the oldest population (median age 45.1).
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 | Calais | Bennington | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713 |
15,249Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Calais and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 14% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Brookline and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 min 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Brookline 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 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.