Compare towns
Rutland vs Bennington vs Springfield vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rutland has the oldest population (median age 49).
Bennington has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.7%).
Springfield has the most homeowners (67.7%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% 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 | Rutland | Bennington | Springfield | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,712Highest |
15,249 |
9,084 |
8,412Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
| Rutland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.4% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,675±$8kLowest 29% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
$65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
| Springfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $185,500±$16kLowest 41% below VT |
$213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$65 19% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
| Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,657 8% below VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±8.2 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.9% VT: 73.2% |
58.4% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961Highest 15 yrs older than VT |
1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 32% below VT |
17 min 27% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
19 min 21% below VT |
| Work from home | 8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #51 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT | #19 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rutland City School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center |
| High school in town | Rutland Senior High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Springfield High School | Spaulding Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
14.7Highest |
14.3 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.