Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Springfield vs Stockbridge vs Barnard
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Stockbridge has the most people working from home (28.6%).
Barnard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Springfield | Stockbridge | Barnard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 980 |
9,084Highest |
791Lowest |
1,211 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.4% VT: +2.8% |
+4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
55.3±5.3 28% above VT |
42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±3.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Barnard 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% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
27.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
22%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
35% VT: 43.8% |
55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.1%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below VT |
$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below VT |
$77,109±$12k 5% below VT |
$97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
| Barnard and Stockbridge 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 |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$283,500±$26k 10% below VT |
$402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,140±$126 8% below VT |
$1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$4,488 11% below VT |
$6,038Highest 20% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
53.3%±22 VT: 48.4% |
27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Stockbridge 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% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
3.9% VT: 10.1% |
2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85% VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
29 minHighest 21% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
28.6%±12.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Stockbridge and Barnard 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 | — | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 |
| High school in town | — | Springfield High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.