Compare towns
Ludlow vs Bennington vs Orleans
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ludlow has the most expensive homes ($304k median).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k 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.
| Measure | Ludlow | Bennington | Orleans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 808Lowest |
15,249Highest |
809 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.7±5.6Highest 13% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
| Ludlow and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orleans and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±0.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,667±$19kLowest 30% below VT |
$59,446±$7kHighest 27% below VT |
$57,159±$10k 30% below VT |
| Bennington and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $304,000±$32kHighest 4% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$91 18% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
| Bennington and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 16% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33%±13.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
64.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 10% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 33% above VT |
| Work from home | 17.3%±6.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ludlow 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 |
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| 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.