Compare towns
Colchester vs Bennington vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colchester has the most people working from home (19%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Milton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,648Highest |
15,249 |
10,769Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.4Lowest 9% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.6±2.5 3% below VT |
| Bennington and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±2.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Colchester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
16%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,891±$9k 21% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$118,977±$10kHighest 47% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $394,400±$25kHighest 25% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$372,500±$20k 18% above VT |
| Colchester and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$122 19% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,536±$257Highest 24% above VT |
| Milton and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,471 9% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,610Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.2%±10.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.1%±20.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 15% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
14.6%±2.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | #56 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Colchester School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Milton School District |
| High school in town | Colchester High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Milton Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
14.7Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| 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.