Compare towns
Bennington vs Nelson 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).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Nelson | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
648Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 15% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson 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% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Nelson 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% |
61.1%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% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$99,792±$23kHighest 24% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Nelson 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. |
$340,900±$49kHighest about the U.S. average |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243Highest 15% below U.S. |
$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Nelson and Bennington 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. |
$5,575Highest 79% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 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 8% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Nelson 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.