Compare towns
Chester vs Barre vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Springfield has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Chester | Barre | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
8,412 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
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 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 33.1% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Chester and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Barre and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield and Chester 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 | #19 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Spaulding Union High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.7 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.