Compare towns
Bennington vs Ryegate 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).
Ryegate has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Ryegate | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
1,059Lowest |
9,084 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-0.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Ryegate 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 VT: 21.4% |
22.1%±1.5Lowest 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
29.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$66,484±$15k 18% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
| Springfield and Ryegate 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 |
$219,300±$32kHighest 31% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Ryegate 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 8% below VT |
$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$3,472Lowest 31% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
55.9%±29.7 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Ryegate 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% |
14.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| 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.