Compare towns
Chester vs Mapleton vs Brandon 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 most homeowners (86.7%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Mapleton | Brandon | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
1,884Lowest |
4,120 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
41.8±6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Chester 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Brandon 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 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% |
34.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Mapleton 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. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
$192,400±$20k 42% below U.S. |
| Chester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 32% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225Highest 25% below U.S. |
$963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Brandon and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest 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 | — | #69 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | Otter Valley Union High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | 9.9 |
14.3Highest |
| 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.