Compare towns
Exeter vs Dummerston vs Bennington vs Kingston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($213k median).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Exeter | Dummerston | Bennington | Kingston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
2,090Lowest |
15,249 |
6,275 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$492,900±$58kHighest 48% above U.S. |
| Kingston and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,133±$63Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,536 45% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,906 153% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±46.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #78 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Sanborn Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Sanborn Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.