Compare towns
Windsor vs Needham vs North Bennington
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 affordable homes ($170k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
North Bennington has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Needham | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
32,459Highest |
1,336Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.9±10 13% above U.S. |
| Windsor and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Needham and Windsor 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.9%±8.1Highest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
21.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$68,571±$10k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$313,000±$40k 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,447±$278 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,590 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±26.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Highest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±7.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #61 of 70 in VT | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.