[gingermac88]

My husband and I are relocating to Vermont in late January and are in need of a bit of advice! He is from there, went to UVM, and his parents currently reside in Northwest Vermont. His parents are aging and in need of some additional help (or at least the ability to have occasional help) so we are moving there from Florida. He works in medical software (from home) and I am a nurse, and was just offered a job at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, so we are finally looking to move! I realize it's not super close to his parents, but it's far closer than our current situation.

My husband is very familiar with Burlington and areas further north, so we know next to nothing about Bennington and surrounding towns. We are looking to rent initially I think, until we get a feel for where exactly we want to be, in vicinity of the hospital (I'd like my commute to be 40 minutes or less. Would love some advice about communities around Bennington.

[Judder]

I live in the Bennington area and can give you a good rundown. Bennington is a blue collar old mill and manufacturing town - similar to Rutland, Barre, Springfield (though a bit nicer IMO). There are the societal problems that exist in almost any small rural American ex-manufacturing city including lack of well paying jobs, poverty, drugs, etc. Despite this, bennington has some things going for it, including a couple good colleges, a great hospital, proximity to Albany and the Berkshires, easy access to recreation and the national forest, and a downtown with nice bones (with major $ and effort being put into redevelopment).

There are certainly good and bad parts of town. Generally the downtown and north side of town are lower income areas. South side and west side of town are nicer. The village of North Bennington is probably my favorite village in Bennington County. It has an amazing sense of community, is walkable, and runs an independent school for K-6. If you have children seriously look into what elementary school they will be feeding into - Monument is a good school, the other two not so much...

Outside of Bennington in commuting distance, you could look into Shaftsbury and Arlington for more rural VT towns. Williamstown MA is an easy 20 min drive away and has a unique vibe with Williams College acting as the center of town. Manchester is another town to look into 30 min North of Bennington. It's a rather high end tourist town popular with NYers and second home owners. It has the best schools in the area if that is a factor for you. You could even live out by Troy NY if you want an urban vibe (45 min drive, and a up and coming downtown).

I would recommend renting for a year or so to get the feel for the area. We did that for 2 years and then purchased a home in Bennington. The area is not for everyone, I know many people who love it, and many who hate it.

[squarpeg]

I think the above post says most of it. I would not personally want to locate to Bennington, the redevelopment mentioned seems to be something that has been going on for 30 years and I have not really seen things radically change. I doubt they will. There are many worse places to live, but there are many better places also. The surrounding towns as mentioned would be my choice too. Yes North Bennington is nice. Nursing jobs can be had anywhere in VT so you are in the drivers seat for that. My other thought is why do YOU have to move to where they live if they are the ones needing help? They have already lived their lives as they wished. I would certainly offer any help but speaking as a parent I wouldn't want my child moving to somewhere that didn't suit them on account of me.

[Biker53]

I live about an hour from Bennington but am down there several days a week on account of my son building a house just outside of town. To me Bennington is a college town with old mill town roots. It has a pleasant vibe and charm. If my current home & large property start to become too much to handle as we age, we have already decided we'll move to Bennington.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by gingermac88

My husband and I are relocating to Vermont in late January and are in need of a bit of advice! .

Curious on an update from you guys. Did you finalize the decision? I fell in love with Manchester when I was there this past weekend. Looked newer, more decorated, and safer...Had a nice feel to it. Didn't like Bennington but then again I only drove through so wouldn't use my opinion alone..

Originally Posted by Judder

I live in the Bennington area and can give you a good rundown.


Outside of Bennington in commuting distance, you could look into Shaftsbury and Arlington for more rural VT towns. Williamstown MA is an easy 20 min drive away and has a unique vibe with Williams College acting as the center of town. Manchester is another town to look into 30 min North of Bennington. It's a rather high end tourist town popular with NYers and second home owners. It has the best schools in the area if that is a factor for you.

Good advice all around! I was surprised how much snow Manchester was getting verse Bennington then realized how Bennington sits being lower elevation and valley like. Not sure if OP would use weather as a factor in the move but Manchester seems colder and snowier.

Originally Posted by Biker53

I live about an hour from Bennington but am down there several days a week on account of my son building a house just outside of town. To me Bennington is a college town with old mill town roots. It has a pleasant vibe and charm. If my current home & large property start to become too much to handle as we age, we have already decided we'll move to Bennington.

Would love to hear your take on the weather differences between where you are and Bennington. Not to go off topic but might help OP or someone else in their decision moving into the area

[Wells5]

The OP like so many others has not answered or acknowledged the posts that offered suggestions. I sent the OP a while ago a private message with my suggestion of a better location for their move. No response.

[Biker53]

Cambium, being I only live an hour or so north of Bennington, there isn't much of a difference. Sometimes it is a little colder here, sometimes a little colder there. Sometimes it snows more here, sometimes more there.

I like Bennington. Its just a nice mix of college town/small town.