Compare towns
Sidney vs Bennington vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
West Gardiner has the highest household income ($96k).
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 | Sidney | Bennington | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,790 |
15,249Highest |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±5.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.5±2.8 12% above U.S. |
| Bennington and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Sidney and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Gardiner and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,488±$10k 3% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$96,172±$30kHighest 19% above U.S. |
| West Gardiner and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,200±$34kHighest about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$305,100±$42k 8% below U.S. |
| Sidney and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,340±$304Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,087±$150Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Sidney and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,474 21% below U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$2,282Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.4%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington and Sidney 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 | #15 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.