What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hartford	Bennington
People
Population	10,736Lowest	15,249Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8%	-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	43.2±3.9Lowest about the VT average	44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT
	Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3Highest VT: 17.9%	17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Hartford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.5%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4%
	Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Highest VT: 43.8%	36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7%
	Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT	$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT	$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average	$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT
	Hartford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,773Highest 15% above VT	$4,513Lowest 10% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.6%±12.7Lowest VT: 48.4%	68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4%
	Bennington and Hartford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	13.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT	1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 22% below VT	17 minLowest 27% below VT
Work from home	13.9%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Bennington and Hartford 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	#34 of 70 in VT	#58 of 70 in VT
School district	Hartford School District	Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87
High school in town	Hartford High School	Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	14.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.