Compare towns
Halifax vs Bennington vs Guilford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Guilford has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Halifax | Bennington | Guilford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 847Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,461 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
0% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 6% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.7±5.2Highest 8% above VT |
| Guilford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Guilford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
44.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7k 21% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$75,243±$6kHighest 7% below VT |
| Guilford and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,500±$21k 16% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$312,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
| Guilford and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$154Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
| Guilford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991 about the VT average |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,827Highest 16% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±19.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 8 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 38% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Halifax and Guilford 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 | Halifax School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| 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.