Compare towns
Sutton vs Barre vs Bennington vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most homeowners (85%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Sutton | Barre | Bennington | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790 |
8,412 |
15,249Highest |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7 8% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,250±$18kHighest 12% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$71,250±$27kHighest 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $231,100±$41k 27% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$236,300±$15kHighest 25% below VT |
| Waterville and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| Bennington and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 21% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 26% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bennington and Sutton 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.