Compare towns
Chester vs Gray vs Springfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
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 | Chester | Gray | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
8,429 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 28% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Chester and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Chester 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 U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$363,700±$20kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
12.5 |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.