Compare towns
Standish vs Bennington vs Windham vs Steep Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
Steep Falls has the most kids (22.9% 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 | Standish | Bennington | Windham | Steep Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,662 |
15,249 |
19,188Highest |
1,861Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 4% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
44.1±6.5 13% above U.S. |
| Bennington and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±9.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
9.7%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
$80,280±$33k about the U.S. average |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k about the U.S. average |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$243,400±$31k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$1,516±$1kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Steep Falls and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
$3,273 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±36.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Steep Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #58 of 70 in VT | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | RSU 14 | — |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Windham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
14.7Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| 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.