Compare towns
Springfield vs Mount Desert 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).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Mount Desert | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
1,671Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Mount Desert 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 U.S. |
$92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,513 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Highest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Desert 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.