Compare towns
Waterville vs Sutton vs Sutton vs Benson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterville has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Sutton has the youngest population (median age 46.6).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Waterville | Sutton | Sutton | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 680Lowest |
2,239Highest |
790 |
784 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.1±8.2 26% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
46.6±5.7Lowest 20% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±8.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Benson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $71,250±$27kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$71,250±$18kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $236,300±$15k 29% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$231,100±$41kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$93Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
— | $1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,975 27% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±31.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Benson and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Benson and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Kearsarge Regional School District | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.