Compare towns
Springfield vs Sheldon vs Bennington vs St. Albans
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).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
St. Albans has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.5%).
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 | Sheldon | Bennington | St. Albans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
2,267Lowest |
15,249Highest |
7,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
+16.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
41.3±2.8 4% below VT |
| Bennington 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and St. Albans 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.8%±3.8 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% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
8.1%±4.1Highest VT: 7% |
| St. Albans 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 |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$90,060±$19kHighest 11% above VT |
| St. Albans and Sheldon 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$363,300±$22kHighest 15% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
$1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$1,460±$152Highest 18% above VT |
| St. Albans and Sheldon 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,689 7% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1 VT: 48.4% |
73.6%±20.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| St. Albans and Bennington 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
5.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.7%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #64 of 70 in VT | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #46 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | 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 | 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.