What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bridgewater has the most homeowners (85.4%).

North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bridgewater	North Bennington
People
Population	980Lowest	1,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	57.1±8Highest 32% above VT	43.9±10Lowest about the VT average
	Bridgewater and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.8%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%	10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Bridgewater and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.2%±0.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4%
	North Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	41.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±3.8Lowest VT: 7%	21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,272±$3kHighest 13% below VT	$68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT
	Bridgewater and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT	$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average
	North Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT	$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT
	North Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,418Lowest 32% below VT	$5,590Highest 11% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4%	53.7%±26.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bridgewater and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest VT: 73.2%	61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest same as VT	1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the VT average	18 minLowest 24% below VT
Work from home	10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	North Bennington and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.