Compare towns
Springfield vs St. Johnsbury vs Swanton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
St. Johnsbury has the most people working from home (17.6%).
Swanton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | St. Johnsbury | Swanton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084Highest |
7,368 |
6,820Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% VT: +2.8% |
+4.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
42.8±3.8Lowest about the VT average |
43.7±5.5Highest about the VT average |
| Swanton and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±3.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury 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% |
30.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.6%±2.2Highest VT: 7% |
3%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| St. Johnsbury and Swanton 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 |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below VT |
$81,371±$14kHighest about the VT average |
| Swanton and Springfield 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 |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below VT |
$285,100±$35kHighest 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
$914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,257±$133Highest about the VT average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,449 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Springfield and St. Johnsbury 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% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
59.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
77.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
20 minLowest 17% below VT |
23 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.1%±3.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury 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 | #60 of 70 in VT | #27 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 |
| 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.