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