Compare towns
Sharon vs Bennington vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
New Haven has the most people working from home (17.8%).
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 | Sharon | Bennington | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
48±3.9Highest 11% above VT |
| New Haven and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$92,321±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
| New Haven and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,700±$37k 10% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$379,300±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| New Haven and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,163±$143 6% below VT |
| Sharon and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903 17% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,967Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 12% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| New Haven 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Sharon School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | None 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.