Compare towns
Sheldon vs Bennington vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Sheldon | Bennington | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267 |
15,249Highest |
1,938Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42.3±2.7 about the VT average |
| Bennington and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$87,019±$22kHighest 7% above VT |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$320,600±$22kHighest about the VT average |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,056±$441Lowest 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,816Highest 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Sheldon 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
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| 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.