Compare towns
Bennington vs Lancaster 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).
Lancaster has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Lancaster | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
3,216Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
45.5±6.9Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Lancaster 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 26% below U.S. |
$68,911±$23kHighest 15% below U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Springfield 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. |
$215,700±$24kHighest 35% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Lancaster 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. |
$1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±6.3Lowest 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | White Mountains 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 History | 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.