Compare towns
Highgate vs Springfield vs St. Johnsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most expensive homes ($281k median).
St. Johnsbury has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Highgate | Springfield | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Lowest |
9,084Highest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4Highest about the VT average |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Highgate and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Springfield and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
23.3% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Highgate and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
$914±$44 26% below VT |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.7% VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
20 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | Springfield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
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.