Compare towns
Bennington vs Pepperell vs Townsend
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 most affordable homes ($213k median).
Pepperell has the most people working from home (18.1%).
Townsend has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).
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 | Bennington | Pepperell | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
11,663 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.4±3.3 9% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Pepperell 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% |
20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Pepperell 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. |
$124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Townsend 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. |
$482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
$6,031 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Townsend 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% |
8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pepperell 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | North Middlesex | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 13.1Lowest |
| 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.