Compare towns
Highgate vs North Bennington vs Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most homeowners (80.7%).
North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
Vernon has the highest household income ($86k).
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 | Highgate | North Bennington | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
1,336Lowest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
43.9±10 about the VT average |
42.6±5.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Highgate and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Highgate and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1 VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT |
$85,682±$9kHighest 6% above VT |
| Vernon and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kLowest 11% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
$285,100±$25k 10% below VT |
| North Bennington and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
$1,023±$214 17% below VT |
| North Bennington and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
$5,191 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| North Bennington and Highgate 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| 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.