Compare towns
Sheldon vs Barre vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Barre has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Sheldon | Barre | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,216 |
1,910Lowest |
3,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
45.2±6.7Lowest 14% above NY |
46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.4%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.7% NY: 40.2% |
13%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
0.9%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$73,906±$14k 14% below NY |
$89,050±$10kHighest 4% above NY |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$135,900±$28kLowest 68% below NY |
$244,400±$24kHighest 42% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$1,158±$208Highest 29% below NY |
$942±$344 42% below NY |
| Barre and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,466 47% below NY |
$4,591Highest 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
60.7%±35.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±29Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Barre and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% NY: 14% |
23.4%Highest NY: 14% |
8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
87.6% NY: 54.3% |
90.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1969Highest 10 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
21 minLowest 36% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.5%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.