What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.7%).

Braintree has the oldest population (median age 58.4).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bennington	Braintree
People
Population	1,588Highest	1,026Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S.	58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22%	12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,875±$7kHighest 4% above U.S.	$79,803±$5kLowest about the U.S. average
	Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$267,300±$15kHighest 20% below U.S.	$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S.	$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S.
	Bennington and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,944Highest 91% above U.S.	$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.2%±20.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Braintree and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	81%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 40% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Braintree and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Contoocook Valley School District	Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.