Compare towns
Worcester vs Bennington vs Barre vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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 | Worcester | Bennington | Barre | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
15,249Highest |
8,412 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Worcester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 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+ | 19.5%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 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+ | 53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Worcester and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
— |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 22% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.