Compare towns
Windsor vs Bennington vs Wilder vs Royalton
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 kids (19.5% under 18).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
Royalton has the highest household income ($104k).
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 | Wilder | Royalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,554 |
15,249Highest |
3,087 |
2,752Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.8% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.5 4% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT |
43.9±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
| Wilder and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.4%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
42.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
8%±4.2 VT: 7% |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,484±$11kLowest 35% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
$103,938±$24kHighest 28% above VT |
| Royalton and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $207,500±$31kLowest 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$263,200±$73k 17% below VT |
| Wilder and Royalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,026±$89Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT |
$1,040±$391 16% below VT |
| Wilder and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,209 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,505Highest 9% above VT |
$4,675 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±17Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
36.7%±16.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Wilder 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% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
13% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
63.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 31 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1965 11 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 3% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
17 minLowest 29% below VT |
20 min 13% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Royalton 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 | — | #48 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | White River Unified School District #79 |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | White River Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
— | 8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.