Compare towns
Springfield vs Westminster vs Bennington
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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Westminster | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,084 |
2,999Lowest |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Westminster 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster 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% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Westminster 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 |
$71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Westminster 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±$20kLowest 39% below VT |
$273,800±$35kHighest 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807Highest 5% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | Bellows Falls Union High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
10.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.