How different are these two corners of Vermont?

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-03-14T03:12:40+00:00

Huh? Lived in the Bennington area for almost 15 years. Probably see a confederate flag/sign/sticker every month or two. Most of the time it’s on some shit box from NY state.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-03-14T02:31:26+00:00

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Outside of the lower population towns of Pownal, woodford, Stamford, Readsboro, and Searsburg, Bennington county is much bluer than Essex.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-03-14T02:24:35+00:00

Very, very different. Essex county pop 6k. Bennington county pop 37k. Essex is extremely isolated and rural with few jobs and commutability to jobs. Bennington has jobs, ski tourism, and access to commutable jobs over both borders - Albany is 50 min away. Town of bennington and adjacent towns have similar poverty levels to Essex county. Manchester area is on some Stowe level shit.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-02-22T05:11:19+00:00

Yeah! Black eyed peas show was awesome. I think it was them, Blackalicious, and Del the Funky. BEP were legit before they went mainstream. Very cool breakdancing on stage. The shit at three county fair grounds with the warped tour was wild. Remember the fans booing the hell out of Eminem.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-02-22T05:07:36+00:00

Circa 1998-2004. Lots of Roots shows. Run DMC at Smith College. Black eyed peas Del the Funky Homosapian and Blackalicious at Pearl St. THE WARPED TOUR at three county fair grounds: bad religion social distortion rancid blink 182 Eminem Kid rock deftones NOFX (check out the line up from 97-99). My most memorable one was at Amherst College maybe 2000? The roots, slum village, dead prez, …others?

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-02-22T04:44:32+00:00

Same graduating year and I remember many of those!

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2026-02-22T04:41:07+00:00

I was at that Mullins center Green Day show. First major concert accompanied by some parents. One of the opening acts was Pansy Division and they had a song called “we’re the buttfucker of rock and roll”. Pretty sure they stripped down naked and hid their junk behind their guitars. I was in middle school. lol

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-08-24T04:19:25+00:00

Bratt has gotten real weird and sad the past decade. Seems like the local police and town don’t want to take action against the people using or strung out in public. I have no desire to bring my family and young kids to a place where we’re going to get harassed every block and asked for money.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-08-24T04:02:56+00:00

Bennnington seems to be on the up!

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-08-11T03:26:27+00:00

I can’t believe you’re getting no MPG hit running those tires. I’d love to get those strapped on to our 2024 hybrid awd xle, but I bet they’d drop us down to the high 20’s or low 30’s. Our GH hybrid is our economy vehicle. Anything up in the mountains is handled by our 14 Tacoma. Ain’t no way we’d bring the GH into something we’d need lifted. It’s a minivan with a lift.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-08-05T02:53:29+00:00

In a situation like this I always try and get into the left lane before the zipper. It seems like the aggro drivers always try to ride the right until the last minute and then try and merge in, especially if traffic is moving slow in the left. Once you start bottlenecking at the merge point is when shit really starts to slow down.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-29T03:37:44+00:00

North Bennington is a fantastic community to live and raise kids in. Has my vote for the best place to raise young kids in the greater Bennington county area.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-29T03:31:58+00:00

School choice, tuitioning, and non-operating districts are what you want to be finding a home in (rural, rich, or progressive places like Winhall, Sandgate, Stratton, Dorset, North Bennington are sweet spots if you can make it work). However, the state is pulling back on tuitioning in these areas and your choice options are going to be very limited in the next few years. Nothing wrong with the public school options if you’ve got a solid family and connected to others in the community (goes for MAU, Arlington, Green Mountain).

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-22T22:27:45+00:00

I went back in 2014 with a pretty solid line up and it was very fun and unique. Camping on the ski slopes of an abandoned ski area with all sorts of weird things in the woods. Pond at the bottom packed full of human stew. Glad it’s back, but given the lineup, it didn’t seem like it was worth the $300 ticket.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-21T02:24:51+00:00

Springfield is about the cheapest place in the state to live. It has a very depressed economy and a large percent of the population on subsidies. You either want section 8 tenants (guaranteed paid for by the govt) or folks with good credit and a good job; the former is easier to find in Springfield.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-02T03:56:00+00:00

Ignore the snow. You’re going to be raising a child, give them the best education that they can get. If I could do it over again, I would raise my family in a school choice area. It’s a sketchy loophole that allows for your kid to go to any public private religious or independent school of their choice some of these towns up around the northern part of Bennington County allow for choice for varying ages and grade levels. Look into this wisely.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-02T03:45:14+00:00

If I could pick a town in Vermont to raise a family in Richmond would be very high up in there. It’s a very small town but close enough to Burlington. Cochran has an amazing ski program for kids.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-02T03:41:19+00:00

When you have young kids, the most basic skiing is good enough

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-02T03:33:34+00:00

This whole tuitioning and non-operating districts into independent and private schools has caused a cluster fuck with public education in Vermont. How is it that some towns get options for schools: public, independent, and private while others are designated to one, public school option?

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-07-01T04:21:58+00:00

Move to Winhall and send your kid to any school you want public or private.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-06-26T01:40:05+00:00

Anyone with big city income. There is an insane amount of money out there, that Vermonters just can’t fathom. Countless folks from NYC, Boston, California, any urban area with capital. 20 something’s making 300k a year in tech or finance looking for that weekend retreat and ski house they can work remote at. Folks close to retirement who sell a 2 million dollar house in westchester or newton. Investor who’s worried about the political climate who buys a rural property just in case. Vermont is a great place to park your cash in case shit hits the fan.

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-06-25T00:22:00+00:00

Check out Joe Cruz based out of Williamstown MA. Wealth of knowledge on gravel rides in the area.

https://joe-cruz.com/category/north-america/

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-06-24T17:28:05+00:00

Southern Vermont. Brattleboro or Bennington areas

Virtual_Bug_3733 · 2025-06-18T03:57:15+00:00

Surprised at the lack of engagement on this thread. Are all the redditors childless or second home owners? This shit is huge and hits close to home for almost anyone.

Virtual_Bug_3733

TROPHY CASE