Compare towns
Bennington vs Springfield vs Whitingham vs St. Johnsbury
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).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
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 | Whitingham | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,084 |
1,368Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Whitingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Whitingham 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%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$70,625±$11kHighest 13% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Whitingham 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±$20k 39% below VT |
$262,300±$30kHighest 17% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,513 10% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,055Highest about the VT average |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Whitingham 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% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
15.5% VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
85.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | — |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School | Twin Valley Middle High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
14.3 |
7.8Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.