Compare towns
Braintree vs Peacham vs Benson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Peacham has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Benson has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
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 | Braintree | Peacham | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
887 |
784Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
50.1±5.7Lowest 16% above VT |
51.9±9.4 20% above VT |
| Braintree and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Peacham and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4 VT: 21.4% |
33.6%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Peacham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.4%±4 VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Benson and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5k about the VT average |
$90,000±$28kHighest 11% above VT |
$78,625±$8kLowest 3% below VT |
| Peacham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28kLowest 31% below VT |
$302,000±$64kHighest 5% below VT |
$242,000±$26k 24% below VT |
| Peacham and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$1,028±$248 17% below VT |
$1,113±$170Highest 10% below VT |
| Benson and Peacham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,605Highest 11% above VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
66.7%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Peacham and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.6% VT: 10.1% |
5.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
32 minHighest 35% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
24.2%±16.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Peacham and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Peacham School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.