Compare towns
North Bennington vs Sharon vs Strafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Bennington has the most renters (38.6% rent).
Strafford has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | North Bennington | Sharon | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,336Lowest |
1,577Highest |
1,372 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.9% VT: +2.8% |
-0.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.9±10Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
51.4±4.7Highest 19% above VT |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±5 VT: 17.9% |
23%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.4% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT |
$84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$110,833±$19kHighest 36% above VT |
| Strafford and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,000±$40kLowest about the VT average |
$346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$431,300±$40kHighest 36% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
$1,386±$155 12% above VT |
$1,125±$789Lowest 9% below VT |
| North Bennington and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,590Lowest 11% above VT |
$5,903 17% above VT |
$7,149Highest 42% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±48 VT: 48.4% |
| North Bennington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 24% below VT |
26 minHighest 12% above VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
| North Bennington and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Sharon School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.