Compare towns
Windsor vs Appleton vs North Bennington vs Brighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
North Bennington has the most people working from home (17.3%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Windsor | Appleton | North Bennington | Brighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,060Highest |
1,360 |
1,336 |
1,167Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 15% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.9±10Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.2±11.6 16% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.9%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| North Bennington and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
21.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4k 37% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19k 34% below U.S. |
$68,571±$10kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$47,375±$21kLowest 41% below U.S. |
| North Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22k 49% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33k 29% below U.S. |
$313,000±$40kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$163,900±$39kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 29% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
$1,447±$278Highest about the U.S. average |
$775±$33Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| North Bennington and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 56% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$5,590Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,360Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±26.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
55%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Brighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Bennington and Brighton 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Appleton Public Schools | — | Brighton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.