Compare towns
Sandgate vs Bennington vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Calais has the most expensive homes ($390k median).
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 | Sandgate | Bennington | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Calais 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.