Compare towns
Bath vs Benson vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Bath | Benson | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Highest |
784 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Lowest 25% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4Highest 33% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2 26% above U.S. |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Benson and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8kHighest about the U.S. average |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15k 29% below U.S. |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Bath and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.