Compare towns
Rutland vs Worcester 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).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
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 | Worcester | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,712Highest |
831Lowest |
15,249 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
47±2.7 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
| Rutland and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Rutland 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% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest 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% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Bennington 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 |
$73,833±$18kHighest 9% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
| Worcester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$271,100±$27kHighest 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$65Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Bennington and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,657Highest 8% below VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest 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% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 32% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rutland City School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 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.