Bennington vs Essex Junction
Bennington, Vermont versus Essex Junction, Vermont: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Essex Junction edges out Bennington on overall objective livability (49 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bennington | Essex Junction |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $51k | $93k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $68k |
| Home Value | $178k | $354k |
| Monthly Rent | $990 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.33% | 1.87% |
| Income Tax | 8.60% | 8.60% |
| Sales Tax | 6.36% | 6.36% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 18.77% | 17.83% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 2.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.6 in | 42.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 75.2 in | 85.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 186 days | 207 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.5 | 21.2 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 37 AQI |
| School Quality | 89.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1510/100k | 587/100k |
| Property Crime | 3124/100k | 2930/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 8,753 | 10,646 |
| Median Age | 46.2 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.13 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.90 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+28 | D+56 |
| White (%) | 92.0% | 80.3% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 7.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 20 min |
| Walkability | 10.3/20 | 11.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 69 mi | 178 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.8% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 33.13 | 233.89 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bennington or Essex Junction more affordable?
- Bennington has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Bennington's $56k and Essex Junction's $68k. Median rent is $990 in Bennington versus $1k in Essex Junction.
- Is Bennington or Essex Junction safer?
- Essex Junction has the lower violent crime rate. Bennington reports 1510/100k and Essex Junction reports 587/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bennington or Essex Junction?
- The median home value is $178k in Bennington and $354k in Essex Junction, so homes are more affordable in Bennington.