Compare towns
Effingham vs Bennington vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Effingham | Bennington | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,912Lowest |
15,249Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.9±12.4 21% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,607±$14k 5% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$100,976±$11kHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$322,800±$43kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$2,954Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.6%±40.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 19% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham 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 | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Wakefield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.