Compare towns
Calais vs Bennington vs Westford
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 most affordable homes ($213k median).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
44.1±8.6 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Westford 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%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Bennington 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% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
52.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
9.5%±4.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$112,750±$12kHighest 39% above VT |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$424,500±$21kHighest 34% above VT |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 14% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$2,375±$1kHighest 92% above VT |
| Westford 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 |
$6,282 25% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.8%±31Lowest 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% |
2.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 42% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Westford 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 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| 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 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.