Compare towns
Windham vs Bennington vs Calais
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Calais has the most kids (22.5% 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 | Windham | Bennington | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
15,249Highest |
1,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Calais and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
| Calais and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951 18% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Windham 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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.