Compare towns
Springfield vs Bennington vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the highest household income ($67k).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sheffield has the most homeowners (83.7%).
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 | Springfield | Bennington | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
15,249Highest |
573Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
| Bennington and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest 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+ | 23.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington 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 VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Bennington 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 VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Springfield and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$213,300±$15kHighest 33% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Bennington and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$967±$79 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— |
| 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.