Compare towns
Brooks vs Springfield vs Waldo vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
Waldo has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Brooks | Springfield | Waldo | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
9,084Highest |
926Lowest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 18% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
37.5±9.6Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46±9.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Franklin and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Waldo and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.6%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Franklin and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
$71,458±$21kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$65,455±$16k 19% below U.S. |
| Waldo and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 41% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$208,000±$41k 37% below U.S. |
$245,800±$59kHighest 26% below U.S. |
| Franklin and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 21% below U.S. |
$963±$100 32% below U.S. |
$1,150±$691Highest 19% below U.S. |
$888±$306Lowest 37% below U.S. |
| Waldo and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 33% below U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$1,623Lowest 48% below U.S. |
$2,231 28% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.1%±36.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.7%±27.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waldo and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Waldo 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 | — | #64 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Waldo-Region 7 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Springfield High School | 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 |
U.S. 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.