Compare towns
Stark vs Bennington vs Dummer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stark has the oldest population (median age 58.8).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Stark | Bennington | Dummer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 419 |
15,249Highest |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 58.8±3.6Highest 51% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4 38% above U.S. |
| Stark and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stark and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,750±$23k 11% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $197,700±$34kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$242,200±$51kHighest 27% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,636Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,898 7% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Stark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Stark 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 | Stark School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.