Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Bennington vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).
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 | Pittsfield | Bennington | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 391Lowest |
15,249Highest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
51.1±7.6 19% above VT |
| Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±8.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Reading and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Pittsfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,852±$12k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $313,300±$73k about the VT average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$140Lowest 16% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,181 about the VT average |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.2% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 18% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.1%±24.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Pittsfield and Reading 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| 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.