Compare towns
Chester vs Wallingford vs Andover 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%).
Wallingford has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Wallingford | Andover | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
2,286 |
616Lowest |
9,084Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
45.9±10.8 6% above VT |
49.2±5.1 14% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Chester and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Wallingford 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% |
23.9%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
22.7%±4.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Chester and Wallingford 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% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
43.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
2.8%±1.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Chester and Andover 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 |
$80,230±$15k about the VT average |
$102,500±$38kHighest 26% above VT |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
| Andover and Wallingford 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 |
$261,900±$44k 17% below VT |
$382,900±$68kHighest 21% above VT |
$192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 22% below VT |
$891±$95Lowest 28% below VT |
$1,389±$364Highest 13% above VT |
$963±$100 22% below VT |
| Andover 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 |
$4,355 14% below VT |
$5,190Highest about the VT average |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
14.3%±13.5 VT: 48.4% |
69.4%±47.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Andover and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7% VT: 10.1% |
7% VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.5% VT: 73.2% |
82.8% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 18% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.6%±12.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Andover 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 | — | — | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | — | 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 | 6 photos → | 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.