What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).

North Bennington has the most people working from home (17.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wilder	North Bennington
People
Population	3,087Highest	1,336Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8%	+4.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.5±8.9Highest 6% above VT	43.9±10Lowest about the VT average
	Wilder and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9%	10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Wilder and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4%
	North Bennington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	41.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±3.9Lowest VT: 7%	21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT	$68,571±$10kLowest 16% below VT
	Wilder and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,200±$18kLowest 14% below VT	$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average
	North Bennington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,142±$451Lowest 7% below VT	$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT
	North Bennington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,505Lowest 9% above VT	$5,590Highest 11% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.9%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4%	53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	North Bennington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.9%Highest VT: 73.2%	61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 29% below VT	18 minHighest 24% below VT
Work from home	12.6%±6.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	17.3%±7.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	North Bennington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.