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