Compare towns
Rutland vs Brattleboro vs Springfield
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 shortest commute (16 min average).
Brattleboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Springfield has the most homeowners (67.7%).
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 | Brattleboro | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,712Highest |
12,122 |
9,084Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 49±2.1Highest 14% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Rutland and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±2.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
23.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Rutland and Brattleboro 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% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Springfield 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 |
$58,241±$8k 28% below VT |
$66,571±$13kHighest 18% below VT |
| Springfield and Brattleboro 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 |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
$192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$65 19% below VT |
$1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT |
$963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Rutland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,657Lowest 8% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$4,807 5% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±8.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Rutland and Springfield 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
58.5% VT: 73.2% |
67.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1955 21 yrs older than VT |
1958Highest 18 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 32% below VT |
19 min 19% below VT |
27 minHighest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.1%±2.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro 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 | #51 of 70 in VT | #33 of 70 in VT | #64 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Rutland City School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District |
| High school in town | Rutland Senior High School | Brattleboro Union High School | Springfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
9.0Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.