Compare towns
Rutland vs Williston vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rutland has the most affordable homes ($186k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bennington has the youngest population (median age 44.7).
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 | Rutland | Williston | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,712Highest |
10,144Lowest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Rutland and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$65Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,657 8% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 32% below VT |
20 minHighest 16% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | #51 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rutland City School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Rutland Senior High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.