Compare towns
Springfield vs Effingham vs Bennington
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 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 | Effingham | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
1,912Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Effingham 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham 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% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below U.S. |
$76,607±$14kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Effingham 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±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$322,700±$30kHighest 3% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,090±$121 23% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Effingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 54% above U.S. |
$5,163Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,513Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Effingham 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 |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | 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 |
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.