Compare towns
Brighton vs Newark vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Newark has the most homeowners (90.8%).
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.
| Measure | Brighton | Newark | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,167 |
727Lowest |
1,336Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.5% VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
41.4±6Lowest 4% below VT |
43.9±10 about the VT average |
| Brighton and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
22%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Newark and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.9%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| North Bennington and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41% VT: 43.8% |
41.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$72,929±$7kHighest 10% below VT |
$68,571±$10k 16% below VT |
| Newark and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$229,900±$23k 27% below VT |
$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,708±$97Highest 38% above VT |
$1,447±$278 17% above VT |
| Newark and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$3,771 25% below VT |
$5,590Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22% VT: 10.1% |
22.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 41% above VT |
34 minHighest 44% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 12.4%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.8%±8.2 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
| North Bennington and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brighton School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.