Compare towns
Stratton vs Bennington vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Wardsboro has the most homeowners (90.4%).
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 | Stratton | Bennington | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532Lowest |
15,249Highest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
51.6±7.3Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wardsboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
38.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.8 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,208±$979 about the VT average |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,750Highest 6% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 39% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Wardsboro 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 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school 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.