Compare towns
Springfield vs Middlesex vs Williston 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).
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Middlesex | Williston | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
1,943Lowest |
10,144 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
45.4±4.5Highest 5% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Williston 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 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% |
54.7% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Williston 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 |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$106,967±$12k 32% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Middlesex and Williston 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 |
$376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,333±$359 8% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
4.3% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
27 minHighest 17% above VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | 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.