Benchmark, National Development buy senior living community in White River Junction

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. — Benchmark Senior Living and real estate firm National Development say they have acquired The Village at White River Junction, a senior living community that includes assisted living and memory care, as the companies deepen their presence in Vermont’s aging-services market.

The purchase was completed through a joint venture between Benchmark and National Development, with financing provided by M&T Bank, according to an announcement carried by Vermont Business Magazine. The acquisition marks National Development’s first senior living community in Vermont and expands Benchmark’s footprint in the region, where it already operates multiple communities, including one in Shelburne.

The companies did not disclose financial terms in the Vermont Business Magazine report. The Valley News, which also reported the ownership change in late December, said an executive declined to provide a sale price.

Senior living providers have faced rising labor and operating costs in recent years, while demand remains strong as Vermont’s population skews older than the national average. Operators have increasingly emphasized staffing stability, resident programming, and partnerships with local health systems as they compete for workers and residents.

The White River Junction facility sits in a busy Upper Valley corridor that draws health care workers and retirees from both sides of the Vermont-New Hampshire line. Industry observers say that location can be an advantage in recruiting and in building referral networks, especially near major employers and medical centers.

Benchmark and National Development did not immediately announce changes to staffing or services in the initial reports. Vermont Business Magazine said Benchmark’s platform spans the Northeast, while National Development is active in real estate investment, development and management.