Compare towns
Alstead vs Bennington vs Gorham
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 most expensive homes ($272k median).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Gorham has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
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 | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,682 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.9±3.6 39% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gorham and Alstead 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% |
20.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gorham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$61,275±$7k 24% below U.S. |
| Alstead and Gorham 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±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$161,600±$49kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$838±$83Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,334Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±20.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
1.7%±1.8Lowest 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 | #57 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Gorham Randolph Shelburne Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.