Compare towns
Chester vs Plainfield vs Brandon 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%).
Plainfield has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
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 | Plainfield | Brandon | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
1,314Lowest |
4,120 |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
+4.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
50.1±3.1Highest 16% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brandon 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 VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.3%±4.1 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 |
$69,250±$31kHighest 15% below VT |
$64,180±$12k 21% below VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Plainfield 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 |
$318,400±$34kHighest about the VT average |
$227,800±$23k 28% below VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
$1,064±$225 14% below VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Plainfield and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 15% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$4,241Lowest 16% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.7%±15.1 VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
14.2% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1951Lowest 25 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Plainfield and Springfield 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 | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.