Compare towns

Springfield vs Windham vs Middlebury

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).
Windham has the most homeowners (82.9%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureSpringfieldWindhamMiddlebury
People
Population
9,084
594Lowest
9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.3%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
—
+7.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
43.2±3.7
about the VT average
44.2±7.4Highest
about the VT average
31.8±3.7Lowest
26% below VT
Windham and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.6%±3.4Highest
VT: 17.9%
17.5%±7.9
VT: 17.9%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Springfield and Windham 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%
23.2%±8.1
VT: 21.4%
20.7%±2.6Lowest
VT: 21.4%
Springfield and Windham 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%
VT: 43.8%
55.4%Highest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.3%±1.4
VT: 7%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
32.6%±1.1Highest
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$66,571±$13kLowest
18% below VT
$94,500±$12kHighest
16% above VT
$86,169±$16k
6% above VT
Windham and Middlebury 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
$353,900±$20k
12% above VT
$409,700±$30kHighest
29% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$963±$100Lowest
22% below VT
—
$1,156±$113Highest
6% below VT
Middlebury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,807Lowest
5% below VT
$5,951
18% above VT
$6,868Highest
36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
49.6%±15.6
VT: 48.4%
41.2%±94Lowest
VT: 48.4%
50.9%±14.4Highest
VT: 48.4%
Middlebury 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%
9.9%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
10.7%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
67.7%
VT: 73.2%
82.9%Highest
VT: 73.2%
65.1%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1958Lowest
18 yrs older than VT
1982Highest
6 yrs newer than VT
1976
same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
16% above VT
27 min
14% above VT
16 minLowest
33% below VT
Work from home
15.1%±5.5Lowest
VT: 16.9%
20.5%±5.6Highest
VT: 16.9%
18.8%±4.1
VT: 16.9%
Windham and Middlebury 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 — #17 of 70 in VT
School district River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District — Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town Springfield High School — Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school
14.3Highest
—
12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.