Compare towns
Northfield vs Bennington vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northfield has the highest household income ($93k).
Bennington has the most people working from home (15.1%).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.1%).
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 | Northfield | Bennington | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,971Lowest |
15,249Highest |
8,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.1Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.7±2 10% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Northfield and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,917±$15kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$71,648±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $288,500±$33kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$262,200±$22k 21% below U.S. |
| Northfield and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$182Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,110±$68 21% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,097Highest 63% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,886 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.1%±14.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Franklin 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 | #109 of 120 in NH | #58 of 70 in VT | #112 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Winnisquam Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Franklin School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Franklin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Lowest |
16.2Highest |
| 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.