Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bennington vs Middlesex vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
East Machias has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Mapleton | Bennington | Middlesex | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
15,249Highest |
1,943 |
1,223Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
42.8±2.9 10% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 14% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$57,589±$10kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$210,800±$23k 37% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$907±$566 36% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$1,836 41% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±40.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
18 min 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.