Compare towns
Springfield vs Appleton vs St. Johnsbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Springfield | Appleton | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084Highest |
1,360Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4Highest 26% above U.S. |
42.8±3.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| St. Johnsbury and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$57,738±$9k 28% below U.S. |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20k 42% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$177,700±$17kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 32% below U.S. |
$1,104±$82Highest 22% below U.S. |
$914±$44Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,916 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±11Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #64 of 70 in VT | — | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.