Compare towns
Bennington vs Calais vs Ripton 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 the shortest commute (17 min average).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Bennington | Calais | Ripton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,713 |
508Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Ripton and Bennington 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$100,625±$27k 24% above VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$390,300±$36k 23% above VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ripton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
— | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Calais and Bennington 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 |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 32% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Calais and Ripton 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town | 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 | 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.