Compare towns
Chester vs Northfield 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%).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Springfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.3%).
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 | Northfield | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
5,920 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below 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 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8Lowest 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% |
34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Northfield 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±$44k 26% below VT |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Northfield and Chester 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 |
$1,018±$207Highest 18% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Northfield 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 |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Springfield 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | Northfield Middle/High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.0 |
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.