Compare towns
Springfield vs Windham vs Sheldon 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%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Sheldon | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,084 |
594Lowest |
2,267 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.5%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 |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest 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% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,571±$13k 18% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
| Windham and Sheldon 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 |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $963±$100Lowest 22% below VT |
— | $1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,807 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.6%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 18 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs 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 |
25 min 7% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.5 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | 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.