Compare towns
Cabot vs Chester vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cabot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Springfield has the most renters (32.3% rent).
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 | Cabot | Chester | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,579Lowest |
2,992 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.3±6.6Lowest 6% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21%±6.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,031±$16kHighest 5% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Cabot and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,500±$77kHighest 15% below VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Cabot and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,243±$354Highest about the VT average |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Cabot and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,639 8% below VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±26.7 VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Cabot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 27% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 21.4%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Cabot 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 | — | #49 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | — | Green Mountain Union High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.