What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bennington has the most kids (20.5% under 18).

Durham has the most people working from home (13%).

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	Durham
People
Population	3,220Highest	2,641Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.7±5.8Lowest 17% above NY	48.8±5.1Highest 23% above NY
	Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±4.9Highest NY: 20.5%	18.3%±5.2Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Bennington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.4%±4.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	24.2%±7Highest NY: 17.9%
	Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26%Lowest NY: 40.2%	28.3%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.7Highest NY: 7%	1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7%
	Bennington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,050±$10kHighest 4% above NY	$81,471±$15kLowest 5% below NY
	Bennington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$244,400±$24kLowest 42% below NY	$245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY
	Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$344Lowest 42% below NY	$994±$844Highest 39% below NY
	Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,591Highest 30% below NY	$3,728Lowest 43% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.4%±29Highest NY: 52.1%	19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Bennington and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Highest NY: 14%	4.1%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	92%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 10 yrs newer than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest about the NY average	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	10.5%±4.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9%
	Durham and Bennington 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	—	#100 of 484 in NY
School district	—	CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.