Compare towns
Windham vs Castleton vs Bennington vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (20% 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 | Castleton | Bennington | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594 |
4,453 |
15,249Highest |
531Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.1±2.7Highest 5% above VT |
| Brookline and Bennington 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
| Windham and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,133±$63Lowest 8% below VT |
$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | 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 | 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.