Compare towns
Starksboro vs Bennington vs Sunderland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starksboro has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Sunderland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Starksboro | Bennington | Sunderland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,939 |
15,249Highest |
1,269Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.2±4.8Lowest 11% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
40.8±2.8 5% below VT |
| Bennington and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.4%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.6%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Starksboro and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±2 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
16.7%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±3.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$15k about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$88,523±$16kHighest 9% above VT |
| Sunderland and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,700±$42k 9% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$300,000±$43kHighest 5% below VT |
| Sunderland and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,306±$91 6% above VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,413±$242Highest 15% above VT |
| Sunderland and Starksboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,136Lowest 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.6%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.5%±61.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Sunderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
91.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 24% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
23 min 4% below VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±4.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.6%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Starksboro 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 | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| 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.