Compare towns
Bennington vs Springfield vs Waltham
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).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k 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 | Springfield | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,084 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest 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%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Waltham 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 |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Waltham 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 |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Waltham 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.