Compare towns
Varick vs Ledyard vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Varick has the most homeowners (83%).
Ledyard has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Varick | Ledyard | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,724Lowest |
1,811 |
2,948Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.8% NY: +4.2% |
-12.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 33.1±3.6 17% below NY |
31±6.9Lowest 22% below NY |
40.6±8.4Highest about the NY average |
| Benton and Varick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 30.3%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
16%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
30.1%±5.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Varick and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
18.8%±2.4 NY: 17.9% |
24.8%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Benton and Ledyard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.7% NY: 40.2% |
42.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
27.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±0.6Lowest NY: 7% |
24.6%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
1.1%±1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,250±$8k 7% below NY |
$86,731±$12kHighest about the NY average |
$74,767±$13kLowest 13% below NY |
| Ledyard and Varick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,200±$41kHighest 37% below NY |
$249,200±$22kLowest 41% below NY |
$258,600±$51k 39% below NY |
| Varick and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,279±$88 21% below NY |
$1,276±$317Lowest 21% below NY |
$1,541±$628Highest 5% below NY |
| Benton and Varick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,604Highest 30% below NY |
$3,864 41% below NY |
$3,391Lowest 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.6%±36.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.1%±18.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
14.5%±10.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Varick and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6% NY: 14% |
14.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83%Highest NY: 54.3% |
76.7% NY: 54.3% |
75.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 11 yrs newer than NY |
1959Lowest same as NY |
1964 5 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 29% below NY |
20 minLowest 37% below NY |
23 min 30% below NY |
| Work from home | 12.7%±7.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.4%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±5.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Varick and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.