Compare towns
Bethel vs Townshend vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethel has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Bethel | Townshend | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,736Highest |
1,538 |
594Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 50.7±3.7 18% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Townshend and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bethel and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Townshend and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,822±$7kLowest 7% below VT |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$41kLowest 25% below VT |
$287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,335±$220Highest 8% above VT |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
— |
| Bethel and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,168Lowest about the VT average |
$5,364 6% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22 VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Bethel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 10 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.1%±3.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | White River Unified School District #79 | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.