Compare towns
Bennington vs Springfield vs Windsor vs Barre
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 homeowners (67.7%).
Windsor has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.5%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
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 | Windsor | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,249Highest |
9,084 |
2,060Lowest |
8,412 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Bennington and Windsor 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%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.1%±8.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windsor and Springfield 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% |
29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bennington 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% |
40%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre 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±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
$51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,002±$107 19% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre 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 |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
31.4%±20Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 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% |
7.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
51.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | #61 of 70 in VT | #19 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 |
| High school in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School | — | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
14.3 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.