Compare towns
Bennington vs Fair Haven vs Springfield vs Brattleboro
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).
Fair Haven has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Fair Haven | Springfield | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
2,724Lowest |
9,084 |
12,122 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Brattleboro 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro 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% |
23.7% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fair Haven 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 27% below VT |
$62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
| Springfield and Fair Haven 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 |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,074±$58 13% below VT |
| Bennington and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Fair Haven 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% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Bennington 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Springfield High School | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
12.8 |
14.3 |
9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.