[ABSLLC]

Do you have any suggestions of nicer towns?

[vter]

Bennington is primarily a blue collar town. There are some really nice neighborhoods near the monument (as you mentioned) and in the southern/southwestern part of town.
If you are looking for a smaller town with that "Normal Rockwell" feel and want to be in that part of Vermont check out Arlington-he actually lived there and many of his "models" are/were town residents.

[arctichomesteader]

Shaftsbury, Arlington, Pownal, Stamford, Woodford, for example. If you want very rural, Glastenbury is mostly wilderness with very few homes on one dirt road, but if you're after small towns with old village centers, some of the others I mentioned would be better.

[ABSLLC]

Thank you! I am going to look at all of those towns now. Actually, one of the homes that the realtor just sent me is in Shaftsbury, it looked very nice, but I wasn't going to make an appointment for it, but I think I will now. Any other information that either of you can offer to me will be greatly appreciated. We are not looking for wilderness, more of the small towns with old village centers. I did notice that Arlington has come up several times on this forum, so that is definately a place worth looking at.

[happeemommee]

Wanted to kinda "bump" this thread. My family and I are looking at Bennington as a possible town or our relocation. We would definitely want to rent for at least a year. May be a dumb question, but do any of the smaller towns listed above have good rentals or are they few and far between?

Thanks so much!

[sovertennis]

The smaller towns will have fewer rentals. Are you looking for a house or apt? If apt, you'll likely find nothing bigger than a two bedroom in Bennington.

[happeemommee]

We definitely need a house, and we have animals. I know that could really make it difficult. Any suggestions?

[lizw703]

Don't move!!! This is the worst place to live. School districts are awful especially if you have a special needs child. Many businesses have shut down and the heroine overload is gross. There is NOTHING here for children unless they hunt, fish, hike or do sports. You will he an hour from real stores and any kind of life or nightlife.

[ladyalicemore]

I am looking at Bennington (specifically North Bennington) because the cost of living is 25% lower than where I live now in Boca Raton, FL. Lots of pretty houses that are very affordable, even in Old Bennington. The hospital in the town is now linked to Hitchcock, the Dartmouth teaching hospital (I suppose electronically).

North Bennington has recently discovered a contamination of its well water by a long-closed Teflon (or some such coating product) factory. The town water is OK but well water has been found that is heavily contaminated. This may mean the local produce is affected. So I am watching and waiting, and hoping that all will be well with a place I really love. My dad loved this area and we travelled there many times together.

It's a beautiful part of the world. If I moved there it would be to retire.

I like to paint and walk and admire nature and take pictures (have exhibited photos professionally), and I would find a lot to do there.

It's very, very hard to get to Boston from Bennington except by driving, but thru Albany (45 minutes away or so) it's an easy trip to NYC by train or bus. I'm not an enthusiastic driver, having begun later in life.

[cgregor]

Are you fixed on the Bennington area, or are you willing to look farther afield in Vermont. If the latter is the case, I'll be happy to promote Springfield!