Compare towns
Springfield vs Windham vs Fair Haven vs Bennington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Fair Haven has the youngest population (median age 39.2).
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 | Windham | Fair Haven | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
594Lowest |
2,724 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.7% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
44.7±2.3Highest 4% above VT |
| Bennington and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Fair Haven and Springfield 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
18.4%±4.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
23.7% VT: 43.8% |
36.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.4 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Fair Haven 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$62,404±$16k 23% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,400±$20k 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
— | $830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Fair Haven 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% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.6% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958 18 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
31 minHighest 31% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | Springfield High School | — | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.