Compare towns
Vershire vs Benson vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k median).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
Waterville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.9%).
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 | Vershire | Benson | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 842Highest |
784 |
680Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-7.8% VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.7±9.3Lowest 6% above VT |
51.9±9.4Highest 20% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
26.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Benson and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Lowest VT: 7% |
7%±5.8Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
$78,625±$8kHighest 3% below VT |
$71,250±$27kLowest 12% below VT |
| Benson and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
$242,000±$26kHighest 24% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,117±$80Highest 9% below VT |
$1,113±$170 10% below VT |
$1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
| Vershire and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,640Highest 8% below VT |
$4,125 18% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.4%±35.2 VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.4% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 38% above VT |
32 minLowest 35% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
18.6%±5.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Benson and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.