Compare towns
Chester vs Ossipee 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%).
Ossipee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
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 | Ossipee | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,992Lowest |
4,521 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 28% above U.S. |
50±4.6Highest 29% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Ossipee 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% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Ossipee 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. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
| Ossipee 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 30% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$963±$100 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,401 41% above U.S. |
$4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Springfield 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | None in town | 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 |
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.