Compare towns
Springfield vs Fair Haven vs Chester
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 renters (32.3% rent).
Fair Haven has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Chester has the most expensive homes ($233k median).
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 | Fair Haven | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084Highest |
2,724Lowest |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
49.7±4.7Highest 15% above VT |
| Chester 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 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven 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% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Chester 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% |
23.7% VT: 43.8% |
33.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Chester and Fair Haven 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 |
$62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Springfield and Fair Haven 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 |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$232,900±$44kHighest 26% below VT |
| Chester and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$960±$44 22% below VT |
| Springfield and Chester 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 |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$4,262 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fair Haven and Springfield 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% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
86.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972Highest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 16% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Springfield and Chester 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 | #66 of 70 in VT | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.8 |
8.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.