Compare towns
Windsor vs Middlesex vs Brighton vs North Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brighton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
North Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.4%).
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 | Middlesex | Brighton | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,060Highest |
1,943 |
1,167Lowest |
1,336 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5% VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
-5.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+4.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.2±11.6Highest 5% above VT |
43.9±10Lowest about the VT average |
| Brighton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.3%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8 VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.2%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4k 37% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$47,375±$21kLowest 42% below VT |
$68,571±$10k 16% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22k 46% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$163,900±$39kLowest 48% below VT |
$313,000±$40k about the VT average |
| Middlesex and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107 19% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$775±$33Lowest 37% below VT |
$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT |
| North Bennington and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$3,360Lowest 33% below VT |
$5,590 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
55%±17Highest VT: 48.4% |
53.7%±26.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Brighton and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
22%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1957 19 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.4%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
17.3%±7.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and North Bennington 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 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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 |
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.