Compare towns
Shaftsbury vs Bradford vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shaftsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.2%).
Bradford has the highest household income ($108k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Shaftsbury | Bradford | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,607 |
2,827Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43±6.6 about the VT average |
42.7±3.1Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.5%±6.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.1%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Shaftsbury and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±5.8 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.7%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,071±$24k 6% above VT |
$108,162±$15kHighest 33% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Bradford and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$24kHighest 16% below VT |
$258,600±$30k 18% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
| Shaftsbury and Bradford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,079±$54Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,221±$808Highest about the VT average |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Bradford and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,015Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,472 11% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.7%±36 VT: 48.4% |
27.9%±23.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Shaftsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% VT: 10.1% |
2.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% VT: 73.2% |
87.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 5% above VT |
25 min 4% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 7.2%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Bradford 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 | #62 of 70 in VT | #45 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Oxbow Unified Union School District #91 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | None in town | Oxbow Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Lowest |
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.