Compare towns
Windsor vs Salem 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).
Salem has the highest household income ($110k).
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 | Salem | North Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
30,964Highest |
1,336Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.9±10Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windsor and Salem 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% |
18.6%±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% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±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. |
$110,490±$9kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$68,571±$10k 15% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$473,300±$16kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$313,000±$40k 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 29% below U.S. |
$1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,447±$278 about the U.S. average |
| Salem and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878Lowest 56% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% above U.S. |
$5,590 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±26.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| North Bennington and Salem 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
61.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.3%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±7.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| North Bennington and Salem 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 | #38 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Salem School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Salem High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.