Compare towns
Springfield vs Pownal vs St. Johnsbury
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 highest household income ($67k).
Pownal has the most homeowners (92.6%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Pownal | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084Highest |
3,265Lowest |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-7.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
49±9.1Highest 14% above VT |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
| Pownal 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% |
16.4%±5.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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% |
27.5%±6.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Pownal 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% |
28.2% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Springfield 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 |
$64,163±$21k 21% below VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
| Springfield and Pownal 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 |
$256,600±$32kHighest 19% below VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Highest 22% below VT |
$944±$139 24% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| Springfield and Pownal 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 |
$3,560Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,916 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±18.5 VT: 48.4% |
48%±11Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and Pownal 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% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
92.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
20 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Pownal 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | #60 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | — |
| 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.