Compare towns
Pawlet vs Bennington vs Rupert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the most kids (20.3% under 18).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Rupert has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Pawlet | Bennington | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480 |
15,249Highest |
676Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
57.8±9.7Highest 34% above VT |
| Rupert and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
42.3%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,273±$14k 23% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$88,229±$36kHighest 9% above VT |
| Rupert and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$44k 16% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$362,500±$63kHighest 14% above VT |
| Rupert and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215Highest 7% below VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
— |
| Pawlet and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,594Highest 9% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
20%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Highest 12 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 40% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±9.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet and Rupert 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 | Mettawee School District #84 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | None 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.