Compare towns
Charleston vs Bennington vs Westmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has the most people working from home (18.7%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Westmore has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Charleston | Bennington | Westmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936 |
15,249Highest |
465Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 35% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
| Charleston and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westmore and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Charleston and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$87,188±$11kHighest 7% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 25% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$330,000±$137kHighest 4% above VT |
| Westmore and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,050±$820 15% below VT |
| Bennington and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,357Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
35%±94.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14%±5.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Charleston 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Charleston School District | 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 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.