Compare towns
Hope vs North Bennington vs Appleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
North Bennington has the most renters (38.6% rent).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Hope | North Bennington | Appleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
1,336Lowest |
1,360 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 15% above U.S. |
43.9±10Lowest 13% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.9%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
21.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$68,571±$10k 15% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$313,000±$40k 6% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Hope and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 14% below U.S. |
$1,447±$278Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| North Bennington and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 23% above U.S. |
$5,590Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±26.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hope and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | — | Appleton Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.