Compare towns
Windsor 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
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Calais has the most expensive homes ($390k median).
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 | Windsor | Bennington | Calais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
15,249Highest |
1,713Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Bennington and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest 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 | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,133±$63 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 | $4,878 3% below VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest 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 | 7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Bennington 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | #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.