Compare towns
Springfield vs Sharon vs Bennington vs Rockingham
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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Rockingham has the most people working from home (17.9%).
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 | Sharon | Bennington | Rockingham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
1,577Lowest |
15,249Highest |
4,807 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
45.6±7.7 6% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
46.4±2.6Highest 8% above VT |
| Rockingham and Sharon 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%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.2%±4.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Sharon and Rockingham 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% |
25.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.8%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Rockingham 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% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
6.1%±2.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Rockingham and Bennington 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 |
$84,375±$17kHighest 4% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$70,857±$16k 13% below VT |
| Sharon and Rockingham 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 |
$346,700±$37kHighest 10% above VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$210,900±$14k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,386±$155Highest 12% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,062±$101 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$5,903Highest 17% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
$4,887 3% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.7%±13.7 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% VT: 10.1% |
3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
16.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
79.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
61.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
26 min 12% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±7.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Rockingham 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 | #65 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Sharon School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rockingham School District |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town |
| 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.