Compare towns
Unity vs Bennington vs Charlestown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the highest household income ($88k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Charlestown has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Unity | Bennington | Charlestown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,375Lowest |
15,249Highest |
4,889 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
41.6±8.5Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Charlestown and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Unity and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,500±$16kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$47,338±$23kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $276,100±$29kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$228,000±$62k 31% below U.S. |
| Unity and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,099±$85Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Unity and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,394Highest 73% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,143 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±24.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Unity 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 | #113 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Unity School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| 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 |
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.