Compare towns
Bennington vs Plainfield vs Springfield
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).
Plainfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).
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 | Plainfield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,314Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Plainfield 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 33% below VT |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield 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 | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | 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 |
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.