Compare towns
Barton vs Chester vs Springfield vs Wells River
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barton has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
Wells River has the most renters (52.1% rent).
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 | Barton | Chester | Springfield | Wells River |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 730 |
2,992 |
9,084Highest |
340Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40±5.5Lowest 7% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42.7±12.7 about the VT average |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Barton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3% VT: 43.8% |
16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $40,833±$8k 50% below VT |
$62,125±$8k 23% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT |
| Springfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $146,900±$30kLowest 54% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$170,800±$103k 46% below VT |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $761±$150Lowest 38% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
$963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
$900±$336 27% below VT |
| Springfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,185Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,154 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±18.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
47.6%±14.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Barton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.8% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
38.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945 31 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
34 minHighest 43% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.5%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Barton and Springfield 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 | #38 of 70 in VT | #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 | — |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | Springfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.