Matt Harrington, the executive director of the Bennington Area Chamber of Commerce, knows better than to promote his town as a happening place for the young and the restless. “It’s tough to live in rural Vermont if you are 21 to 27 years old,” said Harrington, who is 34. “Madison’s (a popular Bennington restaurant and bar) closes at 10, 10:30. There’s no nightlife.” But for the still-pretty-young, those over 28, Harrington sees Bennington as a paradise of sorts: a place where you can find a great job at a small company where you’ll get a chance to try out many different roles; a community where you know your neighbors; and a small but dynamic growing ecosystem where opportunities for public service and civic engagement abound.