Compare towns
Sharon vs Bennington vs Royalton
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).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,577Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±7.7Highest 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
| Sharon and Bennington 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% |
14.4%±5.8Lowest 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% |
22.1%±6.4Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
42.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
8%±4.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Royalton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$17k 4% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton 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±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
| Sharon and Royalton 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±$63 8% below VT |
$1,040±$391Lowest 16% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
63.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 12% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton 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 | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Sharon School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
8.7Lowest |
| 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.