Compare towns
Castleton vs Ripton vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
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 | Castleton | Ripton | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
508Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,915Highest about the VT average |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 17% below VT |
24 minHighest about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| 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.