Compare towns
Bennington vs Jay vs Darien
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
Darien has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Bennington | Jay | Darien |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,220Highest |
2,354Lowest |
2,988 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-0.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.8Lowest 17% above NY |
48.8±4.6 23% above NY |
50.5±8.8Highest 27% above NY |
| Darien and Jay 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% |
16%±4.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19%±5.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Bennington and Darien are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.8%±6.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Jay 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% NY: 40.2% |
31.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Darien and Bennington 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 |
$72,380±$19kLowest 16% below NY |
$88,423±$15k about the NY average |
| Bennington and Darien are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $244,400±$24kHighest 42% below NY |
$196,900±$22kLowest 54% below NY |
$211,400±$21k 50% below NY |
| Bennington and Darien 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 |
$1,272±$366Highest 22% below NY |
— |
| Jay and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,591 30% below NY |
$3,741Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,910Highest 25% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.4%±29Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
0%±48.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8% NY: 14% |
6.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.7%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
94.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1948Lowest 11 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
28 min 13% below NY |
24 minLowest 25% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
5.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.