Compare towns
Colchester vs Bennington vs Chesterfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.7%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Chesterfield has the most affordable homes ($143k median).
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 | Colchester | Bennington | Chesterfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648Highest |
15,249 |
2,492Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.2±5.3 11% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterfield and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Colchester and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$65,278±$24k 19% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$142,900±$49kLowest 57% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,114±$43Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471Highest 75% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$2,071Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±20.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Chesterfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Colchester 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 | #18 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Colchester School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.