Compare towns
Braintree vs Rochester vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Springfield has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Braintree | Rochester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
1,389 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
53.3±7.6 24% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
31.5%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Springfield and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
| Braintree and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$253,600±$81kHighest 20% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rochester and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$929±$158 25% below VT |
$963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
| Springfield and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,977 21% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81% VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1967 9 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester and Braintree 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 | — | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.3 |
| 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.