Compare towns
Rockingham vs Bennington vs Middlesex vs Walpole
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockingham has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Middlesex has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.8%).
Walpole has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Rockingham | Bennington | Middlesex | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,807 |
15,249Highest |
1,943Lowest |
3,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±2.6 19% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.5±10.4Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Walpole and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Walpole and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockingham and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,857±$16k 12% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$82,617±$16k about the U.S. average |
| Middlesex and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,900±$14kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$319,800±$48k 4% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,062±$101Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,165±$150 18% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,887 57% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$6,078 95% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.7%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 25% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Rockingham 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 | #65 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #27 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Rockingham School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| 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.