Compare towns
Bennington vs Mount Desert 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 most renters (41.6% rent).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Mount Desert | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,671Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 45% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Desert 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.