Compare towns
Alstead vs Bennington vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most expensive homes ($272k median).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Alstead | Bennington | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
15,249Highest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7Highest |
14.3Lowest |
| 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.