Compare towns
Bennington vs Charlestown vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Charlestown has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
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 | Charlestown | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
4,889Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
41.6±8.5Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Charlestown and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$47,338±$23kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$228,000±$62kHighest 31% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Charlestown and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,099±$85 22% below U.S. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,143Highest 65% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65%±24.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #113 of 120 in NH | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Fall Mountain Regional School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | 14.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.