Compare towns
Bennington vs Springfield vs Barre vs Hartford
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Hartford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Springfield | Barre | Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,084 |
8,412Lowest |
10,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+7.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
43.2±3.9 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%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18%±3 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Hartford 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.5%±3.3 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% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
47.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
4.9%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hartford 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 27% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$78,125±$7kHighest 4% below VT |
| Hartford 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 |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$304,500±$26kHighest 4% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,218±$118Highest about the VT average |
| Hartford 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 |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,773Highest 15% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±12.7 VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
18 min 22% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT | #34 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Hartford School District |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School | Spaulding Union High School | Hartford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
14.3 |
10.7 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.