Compare towns
Belgrade vs Bennington vs Sidney vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the most homeowners (93.8%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Belgrade | Bennington | Sidney | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351 |
15,249Highest |
4,790 |
2,651Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 22% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.1±7.6Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$86,504±$8k 7% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44k 6% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$326,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Sidney and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,125±$844 20% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 8% below U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,474Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$3,392 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.3%±14.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #15 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 18 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.