Compare towns
Springfield vs Bennington vs Sheffield vs Rockingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Sheffield has the most homeowners (83.7%).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
15,249Highest |
573Lowest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Rockingham 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 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham and Bennington 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% VT: 43.8% |
27.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$59,446±$7k 27% below VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
$70,857±$16kHighest 13% below VT |
| Rockingham and Springfield 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 |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Bennington and Rockingham 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 |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Bennington and Rockingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
$4,887Highest 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2 VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7Lowest 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% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 28% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | — | #65 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 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.