Compare towns
Alstead vs Bennington vs Gilsum
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the oldest population (median age 56).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Gilsum has the highest household income ($80k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Alstead | Bennington | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551 |
15,249Highest |
716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
44.8±8.1 15% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$80,417±$7kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Gilsum and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$241,500±$32k 27% below U.S. |
| Alstead and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Gilsum and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,579Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.