Compare towns
Springfield vs Windham vs Putney 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).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Putney has the youngest population (median age 37.2).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
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 | Putney | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
594Lowest |
2,622 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-2.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% 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%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Springfield and Bennington 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest 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% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Windham and Putney 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±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Windham and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100 22% below VT |
— | $508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,513Lowest 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney 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% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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.