Compare towns
Windham vs Putney vs Bennington vs Worcester
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 highest household income ($95k).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
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 | Putney | Bennington | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 594Lowest |
2,622 |
15,249Highest |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
| Worcester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Windham 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5 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% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
| Windham and Putney 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 |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,023±$136 17% below VT |
| Bennington and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney 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% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1961Lowest 15 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 14% above VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
29 minHighest 22% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| 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 | 6 photos → | 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.