Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Castleton vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the oldest population (median age 57.1).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Springfield has the most people working from home (15.1%).
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 | Bridgewater | Castleton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980Lowest |
4,453 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 31% below VT |
$224,800±$71kHighest 29% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Castleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 32% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest same as VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield and Bridgewater 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 | — | #39 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school 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.