Compare towns
Bennington vs Effingham vs Ossipee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Effingham | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,912Lowest |
4,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ossipee and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Ossipee and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Ossipee and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,401Lowest 41% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
32 min 19% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7 |
— | — |
| 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.