Compare towns
Springfield vs Hardwick 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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Hardwick has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Hardwick | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
2,965Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
47.1±7.4Highest 9% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Hardwick and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 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%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27%±5.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Hardwick 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% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Hardwick 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 |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Hardwick 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 |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$213,300±$15kHighest 33% 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±$100 22% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,351Lowest 14% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| 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 VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1962Highest 14 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 70 in VT | #68 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Hazen Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
8.6Lowest |
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.