Compare towns
Kirby vs Bennington vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kirby has the most expensive homes ($303k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ryegate has the highest household income ($66k).
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 | Kirby | Bennington | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 756Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,059 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.8±7.1Lowest 10% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.2±2.6 4% below VT |
| Bennington and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 30%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Kirby and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Kirby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,792±$21kLowest 33% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$66,484±$15kHighest 18% below VT |
| Ryegate and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $302,900±$63kHighest 4% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$219,300±$32k 31% below VT |
| Kirby and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,250±$326Highest about the VT average |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
| Kirby and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,597Highest 9% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 43% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Kirby 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| 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.