Compare towns
Pawlet vs Bennington vs Whitingham
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 people working from home (20.4%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
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 | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480 |
15,249Highest |
1,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5Highest 11% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
46.4±7.1 8% above VT |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest 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 |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
| Whitingham 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±$44kHighest 16% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$262,300±$30k 17% below VT |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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±$63 8% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% 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 |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Whitingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 12 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 40% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Pawlet 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 | Mettawee School District #84 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
7.8Lowest |
| 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.