Compare towns
Springfield vs Castleton vs Westminster vs Bennington
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% 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 | Springfield | Castleton | Westminster | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
4,453 |
497Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
43.3±11.5 about the VT average |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Westminster 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% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Castleton 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% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$81,000±$22kHighest about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Westminster and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$313,600±$39kHighest about the VT average |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Westminster and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% below VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,480 11% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9 VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
2.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1974Highest 2 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| 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.