Compare towns
Cambridge vs Bennington vs Putney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cambridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
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 | Cambridge | Bennington | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,767 |
15,249Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 37.4±1.8 13% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
| Kids under 18 | 23%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cambridge and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,344±$19k 11% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Putney and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,000±$38kHighest 8% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Cambridge and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,183±$66Highest 4% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Cambridge and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,910 about the VT average |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.6%±7.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 38% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 9.9%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Putney 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 | #25 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Cambridge School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
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| 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.