Compare towns
Springfield vs Ripton vs Reading 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).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Ripton | Reading | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084Highest |
508Lowest |
699 |
2,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+3.2% VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
49.7±4.7 15% above VT |
| Reading and Chester 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Reading 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±7.9 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Chester 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46% VT: 43.8% |
33.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5 VT: 7% |
5.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$85,000±$19k 5% above VT |
$62,125±$8kLowest 23% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading 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 |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$377,200±$72k 19% above VT |
$232,900±$44k 26% below VT |
| Ripton and Reading 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 |
— | $1,100±$331Highest 11% below VT |
$960±$44Lowest 22% below VT |
| Reading and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$4,262Lowest 15% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
11.5%±12.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.4% VT: 10.1% |
7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
33 minHighest 41% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14%±6.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Ripton 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 | — | — | #49 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | None in town | Green Mountain Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | — | 8.7Lowest |
| 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.