Compare towns
Andover vs Chester vs Springfield vs Reading
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Reading has the oldest population (median age 51.1).
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 | Andover | Chester | Springfield | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 616Lowest |
2,992 |
9,084Highest |
699 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
| Reading and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3% VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,100±$331 11% below VT |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,190 about the VT average |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
| Work from home | 29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Andover and Reading 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | Springfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| 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.