Compare towns
Barre vs Bennington vs Rutland vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Rutland has the oldest population (median age 49).
Springfield has the most homeowners (67.7%).
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 | Barre | Bennington | Rutland | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Lowest |
15,249 |
15,712Highest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.2% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Rutland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.4% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$995±$65 19% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,657 8% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.3% VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
54.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
16 minLowest 32% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #51 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rutland City School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Rutland Senior High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.7Highest |
12.3 |
14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.