What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brattleboro	Springfield
People
Population	12,122Highest	9,084Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8%	-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT	43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average
	Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9%	18.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%	23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Highest VT: 43.8%	23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7%
	Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT	$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT
	Springfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT	$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT	$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT
	Brattleboro and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Highest 13% above VT	$4,807Lowest 5% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4%
	Springfield and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	14.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	67.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1958Highest 18 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 19% below VT	27 minHighest 16% above VT
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9%	15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Brattleboro and Springfield 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	#33 of 70 in VT	#64 of 70 in VT
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	Springfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.