Compare towns
Fletcher vs Bennington vs Wells vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fletcher has the most kids (19% under 18).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Wells has the oldest population (median age 50.7).
Salisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
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 | Fletcher | Bennington | Wells | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,196 |
15,249Highest |
1,148Lowest |
1,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.6% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±7.3 13% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
50.7±5.2Highest 18% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
| Wells and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Fletcher and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.3% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,833±$9kHighest 30% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,100±$37k 5% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$243,000±$42k 23% below VT |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
| Salisbury and Fletcher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,679±$427Highest 36% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,313±$282 6% above VT |
$1,443±$984 17% above VT |
| Fletcher and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,965Highest about the VT average |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,842 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±78.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4% VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 37% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
19 min 20% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Fletcher 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 | Fletcher School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.